Putin “threatens action” against states of the former Soviet Union if they oppose Russia

Vladimir Putin has issued a thinly veiled threat to the countries of the former Soviet Union – warning that they could meet the same fate as Ukraine for defying Russia.

The Russian President made it clear that he would not hesitate to take the same action against them should they turn against the Kremlin and would no longer be “ally” with the country.

Putin’s comments followed those of the President of Kazakhstan, who had described the pro-Russian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in the Donbass as “quasi-state territories”.

Sitting just meters away from him at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev claimed that Kazakhstan – which left the USSR in 1991 – was part of “historic Russia”.

“What is the Soviet Union? This is historical Russia,” Putin said before praising Kazakhstan as a brotherly nation.

“The same could have happened with Ukraine, absolutely, but they would not be our allies.”

The words were interpreted as a “clear threat”, according to The Telegraph, with a Kazakhstan-based expert claiming that the Russian president had been humiliated by Mr Tokayev, “alert him that Kazakhstan could be Russia’s next prey”.

Another commented: “He says it’s ok if you’re good neighbors. But if you step out of line and go west, we can conquer your country because it’s ours.”

At the same conference in St. Petersburg, Putin said he expected Russia and Ukraine to restore ties after the “special military operation” was completed.

“Sooner or later the situation will return to normal,” he added during a question and answer session with Mr. Tokayev.

It is not the first time that Kazakhstan, with its Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi, denied the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk in March.

The Kremlin has accused Kazakhstan – along with Ukraine and Georgia – of harboring US biological laboratories.

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