Latest news with #DmitryPeskov
Russia Today
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Kremlin responds to prospect of NATO nuclear-capable jets on Russian border
Russia sees Estonia's willingness to host nuclear-capable NATO aircraft as a direct threat to its security, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday. Responding to recent remarks made by Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur welcoming such deployments, Peskov warned that the presence of F-35 fighter jets in the Baltic region would be considered a serious provocation. He criticized Tallinn's stance as 'absurd,' adding that relations with Moscow 'can hardly get any worse.' Pevkur told local media that F-35s, which are capable of being equipped with nuclear weapons, 'have already been in Estonia and will soon return again in rotation,' and expressed the country's readiness to accommodate allied forces using such aircraft. The Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have hosted NATO fighter rotations since joining the military bloc in 2004. Their airspace is patrolled by allied aircraft due to limited domestic capabilities. NATO's eastern expansion has long been a point of contention for Russia, which accuses the West of breaking post-Cold War assurances. During this week's NATO summit in The Hague, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed the planned purchase of at least 12 F-35A jets, thus restoring the UK's airborne nuclear deterrent for the first time since the 1990s. Although the US, UK, and France are the only official nuclear powers within NATO, American nuclear weapons remain stationed in several non-nuclear allied countries. Moscow claims that US-led training of NATO pilots for nuclear missions violates the spirit of non-proliferation agreements. Citing the need to counter rising threats from NATO near its borders, Russia deployed tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus and held joint drills with Belarusian forces last year.
Arab News
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Kremlin says Estonia's readiness to host nuclear-capable NATO jets threatens Russia
Pevkur said Estonia was ready to host nuclear-capable jets if necessaryPeskov said such a move would be an obvious threat to RussiaMOSCOW: The Kremlin said on Friday that Estonia's stated readiness to host NATO allies' U.S.-made F-35A stealth jets, capable of carrying nuclear weapons, posed a direct threat to Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur told the Postimees news outlet on Thursday that Estonia - which borders Russia and is a rotating base for NATO jets tasked with protecting Baltic airspace - was ready to host nuclear-capable jets if necessary."If some of them, regardless of their country of origin, have a dual-use capability to carry nuclear weapons it doesn't affect our position on hosting F-35s in any way," the outlet cited him as saying."Of course we are ready to host our allies."Pevkur was speaking after Britain, a NATO member, announced it would buy at least 12 F-35A jets capable of carrying nuclear warheads and that they would join NATO's airborne nuclear about Pevkur's comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said such a move would be an obvious threat to Russia."Of course it would be an immediate danger," Peskov told a journalist from Russia's Life news outlet. He said the statement was one of many "absurd thoughts" voiced by politicians in the Baltic region, which comprises Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania."We have practically no relations with the Baltic republics because it is very difficult to make them worse," he said.
Reuters
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Kremlin says Estonia's readiness to host nuclear-capable NATO jets threatens Russia
MOSCOW, June 27 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Friday that Estonia's stated readiness to host NATO allies' U.S.-made F-35A stealth jets, capable of carrying nuclear weapons, posed a direct threat to Moscow. Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur told the Postimees news outlet on Thursday that Estonia - which borders Russia and is a rotating base for NATO jets tasked with protecting Baltic airspace - was ready to host nuclear-capable jets if necessary. "If some of them, regardless of their country of origin, have a dual-use capability to carry nuclear weapons it doesn't affect our position on hosting F-35s in any way," the outlet cited him as saying. "Of course we are ready to host our allies." Pevkur was speaking after Britain, a NATO member, announced it would buy at least 12 F-35A jets capable of carrying nuclear warheads and that they would join NATO's airborne nuclear mission. Asked about Pevkur's comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said such a move would be an obvious threat to Russia. "Of course it would be an immediate danger," Peskov told a journalist from Russia's Life news outlet. He said the statement was one of many "absurd thoughts" voiced by politicians in the Baltic region, which comprises Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. "We have practically no relations with the Baltic republics because it is very difficult to make them worse," he said.
Newsweek
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Russia Reacts to NATO Neighbor Hosting Nuclear-Capable Jets
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Russia said it would pose an "immediate danger" to Moscow if neighboring NATO ally Estonia hosts nuclear-capable jets. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov gave the reaction to Russian state media after Estonia's defense minister Hanno Pevkur said his country was ready to host F-35s again, as it had done before. This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
Qatar Tribune
a day ago
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
Russia condemns Israeli strikes on Iran, defends own war
The Kremlin has criticized Israel's recent airstrikes on Iran, insisting the conflict is not comparable to Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. 'The outbreak of the conflict, actually, and the Israeli attacks on Iran were absolutely not provoked,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state news agency TASS on Thursday. By contrast, he said, the background to the 'special military operation' - as Moscow calls its invasion of Ukraine - is 'well known to everyone.' Israel has defend its strikes on Iran with the need to stop the Tehran's nuclear weapons programme. The Israeli government sees the programme as a direct threat to its country. Russia, meanwhile, has justified its invasion of Ukraine by citing security concerns, including NATO expansion and the alleged oppression of Russian-speaking minorities. The attack on February 24, 2022 took place without warning - just a few days earlier, the Kremlin had publicly denied having any invasion plans. Iran is one of Russia's closest allies in the Middle East and uses Iranian-designed drones in its war on Ukraine. (DPA)
