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A10 WORLD NEWS
Friday 21 december 2018
Putin issues ominous warning on rising nuclear war threat

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV dim in view of the Demo-
MOSCOW (AP) — The world crats winning control of the
is facing a rising threat of House.
a nuclear war because of "You can predict new at-
the U.S. pullout from arms tacks on the president with
control treaties and its de- 100-percent probability,"
stabilizing military plans, Putin said. "I don't know if
Russian President Vladimir he could engage in a di-
Putin said Thursday rect dialogue with Russia in
Speaking at his annual such conditions."
news conference, Putin He charged that that the
warned that "it could lead continuing U.S. political
to the destruction. of civili- infighting reflects a "lack
zation as a whole and may- of respect for voters" who
be even our planet." elected Trump. "They don't
The Russian leader added want to acknowledge his
that even though a nuclear victory and do everything
conflict now seems impos- to delegitimize the presi-
sible to most, the danger is dent," Putin added.
close and real. He insisted that a Russian
"We are witnessing the woman in U.S. custody has
breakup of the arms con- not carried out any mission
trol system," he said. for the Russian government,
He pointed at Washington's even though she pleaded
intention to walk away guilty earlier this month to
from the 1987 Intermedi- acting as a covert agent
ate-Range Nuclear Forces Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during his annual news conference in Moscow, Russia, of the government. Putin
Treaty and its reluctance to Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018. claimed that Maria Butina
negotiate the extension of Associated Press — accused of trying to in-
the 2010 New START agree- filtrate the NRA and Ameri-
ment. U.S. officials say the security," Putin said during we are trying to preserve ing them as part of a smear can conservative circles
withdrawal from the INF the news conference that the balance and ensure campaign driven by do- around the time of Trump's
was prompted by Russian lasted nearly four hours. our security." mestic policy. election — made the guilty
violations of the treaty, but "And they shouldn't squeak The Russian leader also "As for ruling the world, we plea because of the threat
Moscow vehemently de- later about us gaining uni- scoffed at Western allega- know where the headquar- of a long prison sentence in
nies any breaches. lateral advantages. We tions that he is reaching for ters trying to do that are lo- the case, which Putin de-
"We will have to ensure our aren't seeking advantages, global domination, reject- cated, and the place isn't scribed as fabricated.
Moscow," he said, noting Amid a litany of complaints
that the Pentagon's annual over Washington's policies,
budget of over $700 bil- Putin had one nice thing to
lion dwarfs Russia's defense say about the United States:
spending of $46 billion. He welcomed Trump's de-
He dismissed claims that cision to withdraw the U.S.
Russia is interfering abroad, military from Syria.
from a nerve agent poison- The U.S. "has done the right
ing in Britain to an alleged thing," Putin said, reaffirm-
effort to infiltrate the U.S. ing the long-held Russian
National Rifle Association, argument that the U.S. pres-
charging that those accu- ence in Syria is illegitimate
sations are part of U.S.-led because it wasn't vetted
efforts to paint Russia as a by the U.N. Security Council
bugaboo to strengthen the or approved by Syrian Pres-
Western allies' unity. ident Bashar Assad's gov-
"They need an external ernment. The pullout is also
threat to cement NATO uni- likely to strengthen Russia's
ty," Putin said, accusing the role in Syria's future.
U.S. and its allies of exploit- He showed no sign of
ing "phobias of the past" to backing down from Russia's
achieve domestic political stance on Ukraine, accus-
goals. ing his Ukrainian counter-
Russia's hopes for repairing part of provoking a naval
ties with the U.S. under Pres- standoff with Russia to boost
ident Donald Trump have his electoral prospects. The
fizzled amid allegations of Russian coast guard fired
Russian meddling in the upon and seized three
2016 election — charges Ukrainian naval vessels and
Putin has denied. 24 seamen when they tried
He noted that he's still to sail from the Black Sea
keeping the door open for into the Sea of Azov in what
a meeting with Trump, but the U.S. and its NATO allies
added that the prospect condemned as unjustified
for that looks increasingly use of force by Russia.q