Vladimir Putin's Annual Straight Talk Address

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

Dominant US hardliners and their press agent media despise Putin for his unwillingness to sacrifice Russia's sovereign rights to US hegemonic interests.

They also can't tolerate his preeminent leadership on the world stage — towering in stature over his unindicted war criminal Western counterparts.

On April 21, Putin delivered his annual address to Russian lawmakers, members of his government, other officials, the nation, and journalists covering the event.

As always when delivering public remarks, he features straight talk in stark contrast to US/Western Big Lies and mass deception double talk.

Focusing mainly on domestic issues, he also addressed important geopolitical ones and national security at a time of escalating US war on Russia by other means at risk of turning hot because of Biden regime-orchestrated Kiev aggression along Russia's border with Ukraine.

"Unfriendly actions toward Russia do not cease," said Putin — pointing fingers at Washington and its imperial partners without naming them directly, adding:

"In these circumstances, we behave ourselves with utter restraint, one may even say humbly, often times leaving without response not only unfriendly actions but also blatant rudeness."

US-dominated Western countries invent pretexts to bash Russia, Putin stressing:

If their ruling regimes "perceive our goodwill as indifference or weakness, and is prepared to completely burn, or even blow up, those bridges, Russia's response will be asymmetrical, speedy and tough."

Provocateurs will "regret their deeds in a way they have not regretted anything else for a long time."

So far in response to escalated Biden regime cold war, Putin responded meekly, largely turning the other cheek, showing weakness, not strength, encouraging further US/Western hostility than already.

Knowing that the only language understood by Washington and colonized Europe is toughness, he largely refrained from giving their ruling regimes a taste of their own harsh medicine, short of instigating war.

He slammed the Biden regime for trying to assassinate Belarusian President Lukashenko (without naming it directly) — the plot jointly foiled by internal Russian and Minsk security services.

He knows he's on Washington's target list for regime change, a status in place throughout most of his time as Russia's leader.

He persists in referring to US-dominated Western officials as "partners" and "colleagues" — knowing they're mortal enemies of peace, stability, the rule of law, and Russian sovereign independence.

On issues related to defending the nation's security from foreign threats, he said Russia's (superior to the West) strategic weapons are being upgraded to greater effectiveness with next-generation technology.

Russia's formidable RS-28 Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile will be operational in 2022.

Able to carry 15 nuclear warheads with 350 kilotons of firepower, each one can deliver about 25 times the destructive force of Washington's Hiroshima bomb.

Putin explained that within the next three years, two-thirds of Russia's military weapons and equipment will be upgraded — nearly 90% of its nuclear capabilities later this year.

Russia's operational laser cannon can down hostile aircraft and missiles with pinpoint accuracy.

"We have patience, self-confidence and righteousness on our side," Putin stressed, adding:

"(N)o one (should) think of crossing red lines in their relations with Russia. Where that line sits is ours to determine."

The US and its imperial partners are perilously close to crossing what Putin likely considers a point of no return.

Will they overstep or pull back from the brink? World peace depends on their actions.

VISIT MY WEBSITE: stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman). Contact at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

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