Russian lawmaker Viktor Vodolatsky responded to President Donald Trump’s decision to move two U.S. nuclear submarines to “appropriate regions” near Russia by saying that Moscow can count on far more submarines than Washington.
“There are significantly more of our [nuclear] submarines in the world’s oceans, [and they] have the strongest, most powerful weapons,” Vodolatsky, who is also first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots, told Russia’s government-controlled news agency TASS.
“This is why, let [Trump’s] two boats float, they have been at gunpoint for a long time,” he added.
Why It Matters
Vodolatsky’s provocative comments follow the U.S. president’s announcement on Friday of the repositioning of two U.S. nuclear submarines near Russia. The announcement itself can be seen as the latest escalation in the increasingly sour relationship between Moscow and Washington, which has been worsening in recent weeks as Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has appeared deaf to Trump’s repeated request to end the war in Ukraine.
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Despite Trump’s declared admiration for Putin and his willingness to accept an end to the war in Ukraine that would undoubtedly favor Moscow over Kyiv, the relationship between the two leaders have become frayed in recent weeks, and tensions are now running high between the two countries.
With the both holding a significant nuclear arsenal, the threats exchanged between them carry a particularly heavy weight.
What To Know
On Thursday, Trump said that if Russia does not agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine by next Friday, August 8, he will impose a package of economic sanctions on the country. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now Moscow’s military leader, responded to the announcement on social media on Friday, saying that Trump’s threat was “a step towards war.”
This triggered Trump’s announcement about the nuclear submarines. On Friday, the U.S. president wrote on his social media platform Truth Social: “I have ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that.”
It is not clear whether the U.S. submarines moved in the unidentified “appropriate regions” near Russia are nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday: “Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances.”
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on the same day: “Trump’s playing the ultimatum game with Russia: 50 days or 10. He should remember two things: 1. Russia isn’t Israel or even Iran. 2. Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country.
Vodolatsky told TASS: “There can be no answer from us, because we understand perfectly well who Donald Trump is. These last months have shown that he is changing his mind 24 hours a day.”
Russia and China Carry Out Anti-Submarine Drills
On Sunday, the Russian and Chinese navies were reported to have been carrying out artillery and anti-submarine drills in the Sea of Japan. These joint exercises, however, cannot be considered directly related to the escalating comments between Trump and Russian lawmakers, as they were scheduled beforehand.
The drills included a large Russian anti-submarine ship and two Chinese destroyers, according to the Interfax news agency.
What Happens Next
While there have been comments by both Medvedev and Vodolatsky, Putin has not responded to Trump’s ultimatum or his decision to move the nuclear submarines. On Friday, however, the Russian president said: “As for any disappointments on the part of anyone, all disappointments arise from inflated expectations. This is a well-known general rule.”
It is hard to tell whether Trump’s nuclear submarine announcement will further escalate tensions with Russia, but some experts said it is unlikely to make a difference, as the U.S. already had submarines deployed, including near Russia.
Update, 8/3/2025 9:45 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with new information about joint exercises involving the Russian and Chinese navies.
