by Scott Ritter [7-31-2025 published] Scott Ritter(bio).

(It is becoming more & more obvious that Trump's supposed negotiating skills are being out classed by the Russians & this is getting under Trump's skin. Let's hope that Trump doesn't do something even more stupid to get us all killed. — RAD)

As the rhetoric heats up, we must remain cognizant of the consequences.

The sharp exchange of words between President Trump and former President Medvedev underscores just how dangerous the deteriorating relations between the US and Russia have become.

The threats being promulgated are not idle ones.

President Trump has become enthralled with the Israeli “Nasrallah” solution—leadership decapitation and middle management disruption designed to bring about the rapid collapse of a government/system.

It was tried—and failed—in Iran.

But Trump is being advised by Russophobes who believe that the US can successfully implement such a plan against Russia.

This plan begins with sanctions, as all such plans do.

It ends with a decapitation strike on Moscow.

Trump’s imagined conversation with Putin, where he threatened to “bomb the sh*t out of Moscow”, is indicative of the President’s thinking in this regard.

The preferred decapitation strike is done using B-52 bombers launching cruise missiles, accompanied by Trident missiles launched from Ohio-class submarines operating off the coast of Russia, allowing for a flatter trajectory flight and shorter flight time.

Medvedev’s comment about the “Dead Hand” indicates that Russia is well aware of Trump’s plans.

The “Dead Hand”, or Perimeter system, is a long-standing fail-safe mechanism/plan which guarantees a full-scale nuclear retaliation in case any nation is foolish enough to try a decapitation strike.

It dates back to Soviet times, when a special regiment of SS-20 missiles was equipped with radio transmission devices instead of warheads. These missiles would be launched, broadcasting launch codes that would send all strategic nuclear force weapons to their targets, even if Moscow was taken out.

This wasn’t theoretical—in my book Disarmament in the Time of Perestroika, I write about how the Soviets transitioned this capability to the SS-25 system once the SS-20 was eliminated under the INF treaty.

Today this mission is being handled by special regiment of SS-27 missiles.

There are other components of the “Dead Hand”.

Medvedev’s mentioning of it is a not-to-gentle reminder to Trump and his planners that it is suicide to think of a preemptive decapitation strike against Russia.

Hopefully this message gets through.

Otherwise, the “Walking Dead” allusion made by Medvedev will be the future of the United States and the world.

Medvedev mocks Trump’s ‘nervous reaction’

by RT [7-31-2025 published].

Russia is on the right course, judging by emotional criticism from the US leader, the former president has argued.

US President Donald Trump’s angry comments toward Russian officials were a “nervous reaction” and are evidence that Moscow is pursuing the right path, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said.

Medvedev was responding to a post by Trump on Truth Social hours earlier, in which the US president described him as a “failed” former leader and warned him to “watch his words,” adding that Medvedev was “entering very dangerous territory.”

“If some words from the former president of Russia trigger such a nervous reaction from the high-and-mighty president of the United States, then Russia is doing everything right and will continue to proceed along its own path,” Medvedev, who currently serves as deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, wrote on social media.

He also ridiculed Trump’s claim that the Russian and Indian economies were “dead” and going “down together” due to lack of cooperation with the US.

Medvedev had earlier dismissed Trump’s demands for Moscow to swiftly end its military campaign against Ukraine, calling the threats of secondary sanctions against Russian energy customers “theatrical” and ineffective. Medvedev insisted that such ultimatums will not prevent Russia from pursuing its national security goals and merely make Trump appear similar to his predecessor, Joe Biden.

Trump previously criticized the BRICS group of nations, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and several other states pursuing a new multipolar world order. The US president claimed proposed tariffs on countries doing business with BRICS members could cripple the organization.

Trump’s statement regarding India and Medvedev followed New Delhi’s refusal to accommodate US demands on trade.

Medvedev reminds Trump about dangers of ‘walking dead’

by TASS [7-31-2025 published].

"Perhaps he should recall his favorite films about the walking dead and think about how dangerous a ‘dead hand’ can be, even one that doesn’t exist in nature," Dmitry Medvedev wrote.

MOSCOW, July 31. /TASS/. Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council Dmitry Medvedev has issued a pointed warning to US President Donald Trump, urging him not to ignore the peril posed by those he labels "dead." Medvedev’s comments come in response to Trump’s recent remarks about the Russian economy, as well as his criticisms of Medvedev himself, which he shared via his Telegram channel.

"Regarding the so-called ‘dead economy’ of India and Russia and the warning about ‘entering dangerous territory’ - perhaps he should recall his favorite films about the walking dead and think about how dangerous a ‘dead hand’ can be, even one that doesn’t exist in nature," Medvedev wrote, adding a laughing emoji.

The term "dead hand" harks back to Cold War-era nomenclature in the West, where it referred to the Soviet nuclear deterrent system known as Perimeter. This system was reportedly designed to ensure a guaranteed retaliatory strike in the event of an attack on the USSR.

Earlier, Trump had disparaged the economies of Russia and India on Truth Social, labeling them "dead," and had also directed critical remarks toward Medvedev.