Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday accused the West of waging war against the Russian people by imposing sanctions that affect ordinary citizens more than Russian leaders.
In a statement issued after the approval of the European Union (EU) Russian oil ban Due to the war in Ukraine, Medvedev said Westerners “hate” Russia.
EU agrees to reduce Russian oil prices by 90% and proposes measures to combat Moscow dependence
Who are the teachers [das sanções] Want to be punished? The president and the political and military leadership of the country? No, obviously not. (…) None of us have significant assets, assets or interests abroad, “Medvedev wrote on the Telegram news network.
Medvedev, the current deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, acknowledged that Russian owners of large corporations were suffering losses as a result of sanctions, but said they were “not dangerous.”
Between 2008 and 2012, according to the Russian president, Western sanctions were the end “Precisely aimed at the Russian people”.
The European Union on Monday approved a new set of sanctions against Moscow, including a ban on Russian oil imports until the end of 2022, which will reduce European energy dependence.
According to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the move will reduce EU Russia’s oil imports by about 90%, excluding landlocked countries such as Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
The war in Ukraine has exposed Russia’s dependence on the EU’s excessive energy, which is responsible for 45% of European gas imports.
Russia supplies 25% of the EU’s oil and 45% of its coal.
Medvedev also accused the West of lying when it said it wanted to punish Russian leaders.
“Quite simply, they want to damage the economy, beat the ruble, raise inflation and raise prices in stores, thus lowering the living standards of ordinary Russians,” he said.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24 was generally condemned by the international community, and many countries and organizations imposed sanctions against Russia.
In retaliation, Moscow cut off power to some countries, such as Poland and Lithuania, and since this Tuesday, NetherlandsAfter requesting payment of contracts in Russian currency, the ruble.
Russian company Gosprom has cut off gas supplies to the Netherlands
Many countries have also provided weapons to the Ukrainian military to fight Russian forces.
As the war entered its 97th day on Tuesday, many sources, including the UN, agreed that without an independent balance of casualties.
The UN has so far confirmed more than 4,000 civilian deaths, but has warned that the number could be significantly higher.
