Kremlin aide responds to Poland’s threat to defeat Russia

Nikolai Patrushev, an aide to the Russian president and chairman of the Russian Maritime Board, has responded to remarks by Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski about defeating Russia.

Operative Information Center-OMM reports that foreign media cited an interview Patrushev gave to the Argumenty i Fakty newspaper.

According to the reports, Patrushev criticized the Polish foreign minister’s position, saying that Sikorski was ignoring Russian President Vladimir Putin’s statements that there were no grounds for a war between Moscow and Europe.

He said that Sikorski, whom he described as being preoccupied with militarism, did not want to hear that Russia posed no threat to any country and had no intention of conducting military operations in Europe. Patrushev also stressed that Western attempts to weaken or destroy Russia were doomed to complete failure.

The reaction came after sharp remarks made by the Polish foreign minister on September 13. Sikorski called on NATO to conduct “aggressive exercises” near the Kaliningrad region and claimed that Warsaw would achieve a very swift victory if Russia attacked Poland.

Relations between Russia and NATO members have remained tense amid competing security accusations and increased military activity in Europe. Statements by officials on both sides have frequently focused on deterrence, military exercises and the risk of escalation.