Russia’s Putin Warns Of Catastrophe If NATO Intervenes

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

MOSCOW/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Friday that any direct clash with NATO military alliance troops would be a “global catastrophe.”

He also said 220,000 men would be called up for mobilization, less than the 300,000 previously mentioned to fight in Ukraine.

Putin spoke an after attending a summit in Kazakhstan of regional leaders from Asia and eastern Europe, where he acknowledged that “partners” such as China and India are concerned.

Yet the Russian leader told reporters he does not regret starting the battle with Russia’s neighbor and “did not set out to destroy Ukraine” when he sent troops into the country nearly eight months ago.

“What is happening today is unpleasant, to put it mildly,” he said. “But we would have had all this a little later, only under worse conditions for us, that’s all. So my actions are correct and timely.”

A total of 33,000 fresh troops are already in military units, and 16,000 are involved in combat, Putin added.

The call-up, Russia’s first since World War Two, came after his forces lost ground to a Ukrainian counteroffensive that inflicted a stunning blow to Moscow’s military prestige.

PUBLIC OUTRAGE

It also attributed to public discontent in Russia, where almost all men under the age of 65 are registered as reservists. Putin earlier warned NATO not to intervene in the conflict and made cleanse his nation could use nuclear weapons if its territorial integrity were threatened.

While Ukraine continued its counter-offensive despite these threats, there was a technical setback for Kyiv with the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, saying his SpaceX cannot afford to continue to donate satellite internet to Ukraine.

“We are not in a position to further donate terminals to Ukraine or fund the existing terminals for an indefinite period of time,” SpaceX’s director of government sales wrote.

In a separate letter reported by broadcaster CNN, an external consultant for the company told the Pentagon: “SpaceX faces terribly difficult decisions here. I do not think they have the financial ability to provide any additional terminals or service.”

Musk appeared to confirm that report on Friday morning, writing on the social media network Twitter: “In addition to terminals, we have to create, launch, maintain and replenish satellites and ground stations and pay telcos for access to Internet via gateways. We’ve also had to defend against cyber-attacks and jamming, which are getting harder. Burn is approaching ~$20M/month.”

He reportedly asked the U.S. government to pick up the tab amid tensions between Kyiv and the billionaire. Musk recently infuriated Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky by suggesting that four regions Russia annexed after controversial referendums should hold “repeat votes” organized by the United Nations.

Musk also noted that Crimea was part of Russia until given to Ukraine under the Soviet Union in the 1950s and said that a drawn-out war would likely not end in a resounding Ukrainian victory.

Kyiv views that as pro-Kremlin propaganda.

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