Former Russian President Dmitri Medvedev stated on Thursday that the West is practically waging a large-scale war against Russia, so Moscow should respond fully and, if necessary, launch preventive attacks.
U.S. President Donald Trump asked his Ukrainian counterpart this week about the possibility of attacking the Russian capital, but later clarified his words after changing his stance on Volodimir Zelenski and assuring him of supplying Patriot systems to Kiev through NATO. A senior NATO official said preparations with Germany are underway to transfer more anti-aircraft defense systems to Ukraine.
President Zelenski announces unspecified future agreements with the U.S. that, he said, will strengthen Ukraine. The Ukrainian Parliament approves (262 votes in favor) Zelenski's proposal to appoint the Minister of Economy, Yulia Sviridenko, 39, as the Prime Minister, the architect of negotiations with the U.S. on rare earth minerals.
Russia has intensified its massive attacks on Ukraine, often with hundreds of drones and missiles, such as last night in the city of Dobropillia in the Donetsk region, resulting in two dead and 22 injured; and the "massive attack" with about 64 Shahed drones against the Dnipropetrovsk region and its capital, Dnipro, resulting in one dead and five injured.
Meanwhile, Russian air defense units destroyed 126 Ukrainian drones during the night that were targeting Moscow and dozens of other Russian regions. In the Ukrainian attack, one person died and four others were injured. Additionally, a civilian facility suffered minor damage in the Smolensk region, bordering Belarus.
Russia has returned the bodies of 1,000 slain Ukrainian soldiers to Ukraine, receiving in return the remains of 19 of its military personnel, based on the agreements reached in Istanbul between the warring parties.
The Kremlin Declines to Comment on Medvedev's Statements Regarding Possible Preventive Attacks Against the West
The Kremlin declined on Thursday to comment on former President Dmitri Medvedev's statements regarding possible preventive attacks against the West but stated that Medvedev was correct in highlighting a "confrontational environment" in Europe.
Medvedev, Vice President of the Russian Security Council, declared on Thursday that the West is practically waging a large-scale war against Russia and that Moscow must respond with all its might and, if necessary, launch preventive attacks, as reported by the state news agency TASS, citing Reuters.
Asked about the statements, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that he would not provide detailed comments as he represents President Vladimir Putin and not Medvedev, but mentioned that Medvedev has extensive experience and is expressing his own opinion.
CV of Yulia Sviridenko: Economist, English Speaker, and Pianist
Yulia Sviridenko, born on Christmas Day in 1985 in the city of Chernihiv in northern Ukraine near the borders with Belarus and Russia, studied Economics and Trade in Kyiv, specializing in anti-monopoly practices, as reported by Efe.
After working seven years in the private sector, she entered public management in 2015, overseeing the Department of Economic Development of the State Regional Administration in Chernihiv, where she later became the Deputy Governor and Acting Governor in 2018.
Two years later, with Zelenski as president, Sviridenko became the First Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Trade, and Agriculture.
In December 2020, she joined the Ukrainian presidential office as a deputy, and in November 2021 was appointed Minister of Economy and First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine.
As Minister of Economy, Sviridenko has maintained close relationships with counterparts from numerous countries, especially in Europe and North America, and has advocated for promoting the manufacturing and consumption of Ukrainian-made products to counter the economic crisis caused by the large-scale Russian invasion.
Sviridenko speaks English and is a proficient public speaker who confidently engages with the public. At the end of a United Nations Development Program (UNDP) event held last year in Kyiv, she sat down after her speech at the piano and performed several pieces.
Profile of Yulia Sviridenko, Yermak's Protege
At 39 years old, Yulia Sviridenko faces the biggest challenge of her political career after being confirmed by the Parliament as the new Prime Minister of Ukraine at the proposal of President Volodymyr Zelenski, who expects her to give a new impetus to the country's recovery from the Russian invasion, social protection, and domestic arms production.
Sviridenko takes over as Prime Minister from the Ministry of Economy, which has allowed her to become one of the most active and visible public figures in recent months, both nationally and internationally.
Her increased media presence as Minister of Economy came from the signing of the mineral agreement with the U.S., in which both countries agreed to create a joint investment fund for the reconstruction and economic development of Ukraine funded with half of all profits Kiev receives from new natural resource exploitation projects.
Sviridenko personally signed the agreement with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and led the Ukrainian delegation in the negotiations held in Washington that led to the agreement, which is, for now, the most tangible result in U.S.-Ukraine relations since Donald Trump's presidency.
The young Ukrainian politician has been the minister who has most frequently met with her American counterpart, suggesting a good rapport that other Ukrainian leaders have not been able to achieve.
"Sviridenko is Yermak's protege (Chief of Staff, Andriy), that's why she went to the U.S.," commented a civil society activist to Efe who has worked on improving relations between Kyiv and the Trump Administration and requests anonymity.
Yermak "can trust that she will never bypass him, in a context where he tries to control everything," this source added, also highlighting Sviridenko's youth and strong public presence as other factors in her favor.
Zelenski Announces Future Agreements with the U.S. While Presenting His New Government
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski announced unspecified future agreements with the United States that, he said, will strengthen his country while presenting his new government to Parliament on Thursday.
Zelenski also stated that he would task the new government with auditing existing defense procurement contracts as part of an effort to produce 50% of the country's weapons and battlefield equipment in Ukraine.
Ukrainian Rada Confirms Former Economy Minister Sviridenko as New Prime Minister
The Ukrainian Parliament, Rada Suprema, on Thursday confirmed with an absolute majority the former Minister of Economy, Yulia Sviridenko, as the new Prime Minister of Ukraine at the proposal of President Volodymyr Zelenski, in a Parliament where his party, Servant of the People, holds the absolute majority.
The voting result was announced by Deputy Yaroslav Zhelezniak on his Telegram channel, according to Efe.
The Rada continues to hold its sessions behind closed doors for security reasons due to the ongoing war in the country.