Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said Thursday that by waging a proxy war with Russia in Ukraine, Western countries ultimately risk turning the current conflict into a full-fledged nuclear war.
Medvedev wrote on his Telegram that the NATO countries increases the risk of a direct and open conflict with Russia by continuing to pump weapons into Ukraine, training Ukrainian troops with the use of Western equipment, dispatching mercenaries, and conducting exercises near Russia's borders.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said on Thursday that Ukraine is holding negotiations with Russia over the evacuation of seriously injured soldiers from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol.
She emphasized that the ongoing negotiations between Ukraine and Russia on the Azovstal evacuation are very difficult.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that the West was fully responsible for the current global crisis, adding that sanctions would give rise to inevitable consequences.
Putin pointed out that the country's macroeconomic policies and systemic decisions have made it possible to confidently face external challenges and strengthen economic sovereignty, as well as technological and food security.
Putin said estimates show that Russia expects to harvest a record of 130 million tonnes of grain in 2022, including 87 million tonnes of wheat. This would not only make it possible to meet domestic demands, but also expand global exports.
Produced by Xinhua Global Service
