Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia was “once again” threatened by German tanks, referring to the Leopard 2 armored personnel carriers promised to Kiev by Berlin and Western countries, and drawing a new parallel between the war against Hitler and his military campaign in Ukraine. AFP reports.

“It’s unbelievable, but German Leopard tanks with crosses are threatening us again,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said in Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad), southwestern Russia, during celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over the German army near Stalingrad. .

“And, once again, Hitler’s successors want to fight Russia on Ukrainian territory with the help of the Banderas,” added Putin, mentioning the name of the partisans of the Ukrainian ultra-nationalist Stepan Bandera (1909-1959), who collaborated with the Nazis during World War II. Second war.

Since the beginning of his offensive against Ukraine, on February 24, 2022, Vladimir Putin has declared that the politicians in power in Kyiv are “neo-Nazis” responsible for the “genocide” of the Russian-speaking population of this country.

Putin threatens: “We have something to answer for”

Germany announced last week that it would transfer 14 Leopard 2 tanks from the Bundeswehr to Ukraine, long awaiting a similar commitment from the US. Then, after receiving a green light from Berlin, several Western countries promised to supply Kyiv with German-made Leopard 2 heavy tanks.

“Those who involve European countries, including Germany, in a new war against Russia and irresponsibly present it as a fact that has come true, and those who expect to defeat Russia on the battlefield, clearly do not understand that a modern war with Russia will lead to to be completely different,” Putin warned.

“We are not sending our tanks to their borders, but we have something to answer them, and it will not be limited to the use of armored vehicles,” Putin threatened.

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