'God's representatives on Earth': Putin accuses West of seeking global dominance

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday accused

western nations

of acting as if they are "God's representatives on Earth" by imposing self-serving and shifting rules to maintain

global dominance

.
Speaking at a Russian defence ministry meeting, Putin targeted the West's

geopolitical policies

and warned of potential retaliation in response to rising tensions.
Putin pointed out that the global military and political situation remains "complicated and unstable", citing conflicts in the Middle East and other regions. He accused the US and its allies of enforcing “so-called rules” that constantly change for their own convenience, asserting: “There is only one stable rule: no rules for those who make the rules, for those who consider themselves to be at the head of the whole world, those who consider themselves to be representatives of God on Earth, although they themselves do not believe in God”
The Russian president claimed that those who refuse to conform to Western policies are targeted through hybrid wars and containment strategies, pointing to Russia as a primary example, reported RT.

He accused the US of “pumping” Ukraine with weapons, mercenaries, and military advisers to provoke further escalation of the conflict. He argued that these actions are part of an effort to weaken Russia and achieve a “strategic defeat”.
Putin further attacked Western nations for allegedly using Russia’s responses to instill fear among their own citizens, saying: “The West is instilling fear into its populations, pushing us to the red line and using our reactions to frighten their societies further.” He warned that continued

military support for Ukraine

and Nato's growing presence near Russia’s borders would leave Moscow with no choice but to retaliate.
Putin also emphasised that Russia’s army, navy, and strategic nuclear forces are being equipped with “modern weapons”. The president referenced Russia’s revised

nuclear doctrine

, officially updated in November, which lowers the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons. The new policy permits deployment in response to a nuclear or conventional attack that poses “a critical threat to Russia’s sovereignty and/or territorial integrity.” It also treats attacks by non-nuclear nations backed by nuclear-armed states as a “joint attack.”