Russian President Vladimir Putin has given a stern response to any country threatening Russia. He has slammed Germany for promising tasks for Ukraine amid the conflict.

While Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia was consolidating its forces for a fresh offensive, Putin said, “It’s unbelievable but true. We are again being threatened by German Leopard tanks.”

Putin responded to the threat

Addressing an occasion of the anniversary of the victory of the Red Army in the Battle of Stalingrad, President Putin said, “As history has shown, not everyone has learned the lessons of the defeat of Nazi Germany under Stalingrad. (Ex-Chancellor Angela) Merkel, holding the post of Chancellor, deceived the world community and her people, helped the Kyiv Nazi regime prepare for war.”

“The current Chancellor Scholz went even further, deciding to send German tanks to fight against Russia. Their fate will be the same as 80 years ago,” he said.

“Leopards” will be burned, repeating the fate of the fascist “Tigers”, he added.

Nazis threaten the security of Russia

Taking notes from the threats by Germany, the Russian president said, “Unfortunately we see that the ideology of Nazism in its modern form and manifestation again directly threatens the security of our country.”

Further, Putin said, “Again and again we have to repel the aggression of the collective West. It’s incredible but it’s a fact: We are again being threatened with German Leopard tanks with crosses on them.”

The officials said that the country has been drawing parallels with the struggle against the Germans ever since the Russian invasion. However, being a part of the Soviet Union and itself suffered devastation from Nazi forces, Ukraine rejected those parallels.

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History behind Stalingrad

Stalingrad was the bloodiest battle of World War Two, when the Soviet Red Army, at a cost of over 1 million casualties, broke the back of German invasion forces from 1942 to 1943.

Putin reminds battle of Stalingrad

While addressing the event, Putin evoked what he said was the spirit of the defenders of Stalingrad to explain why he thought Russia would prevail in Ukraine, saying the World War II battle had become a symbol of “the indestructible nature of our people.”

“Those who draw European countries, including Germany, into a new war with Russia, and … expect to win a victory over Russia on the battlefield, apparently don’t understand that a modern war with Russia will be quite different for them,” Putin added.

Concluding the event, the president said, “We don’t send our tanks to their borders but we have the means to respond, and it won’t end with the use of armoured vehicles, everyone must understand that.”