Kremlin allies downplay Trump's deployment of nuclear submarines
Moscow
Politicians and experts close to the Kremlin have downplayed the deployment of two US nuclear submarines near Russia, a move announced on Friday by President Donald Trump.
The two submarines were 'not a new threat' to Russia's national security, former air force general and current Duma deputy Leonid Ivlev told the state-run news agency TASS on Saturday, adding that Russia is fully aware of such US military manoeuvres.
Viktor Vodolatsky, another lawmaker, echoed that view.He called any attempt to intimidate Russia pointless, noting the country's large fleet of nuclear submarines.
Trump said ordered the deployment in response to comments made by former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev.
This is being done 'just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that,' Trump wrote on his platform Truth Social.
Where the submarines will be sent is unclear. In his post, Trump only referred to 'appropriate regions.'
Trump and Medvedev have been clashing for days. The dispute began last week after Trump gave Russia a new ultimatum for a ceasefire in Ukraine, or face tough new sanctions.
In response, Medvedev on Monday said that 'each new ultimatum' that Trump makes 'is a threat and a step towards war.'
The Kremlin, along with Medvedev, has remained silent on Trump's submarine deployment.
The Foreign Ministry and other senior Russian bodies, which typically respond quickly to perceived threats, have withheld comment.
Vodolatsky said that no official response was needed, asserting that 'everyone knows' Trump frequently changes his stance.
However, he questioned why a US president would respond so strongly to comments from a deputy chair of a security council. What mattered more, he said, was the need for a renewed agreement between Moscow and Washington to end speculation about a potential World War Three.
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