Dmitry Medvedev says Georgia attack is ‘Russia’s 9/11′

President Medvedev of Russia today likened last month’s war with Georgia to the September 11 terrorist attacks on America, and vowed that the Kremlin would go to any lengths in future to protect its regional interests and Russian citizens everywhere.Speaking to foreign academics and journalists at the giant GUM department store opposite the Kremlin, the Russian leader stepped up his defiant rhetoric against the West, which is fast becoming the hallmark of his short presidency.

“The world has changed and it occurred to me that August 8, 2008 has become for Russia what September 11, 2001 was for the United States. This is an accurate comparison corresponding to Russian realities,” he said.

“Humankind has drawn lessons from the September 11 tragedy and other tragic events. I would like the world to draw lessons also from these events (in the Caucasus),” he said.

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By this he means that in future he wants the outside world to take Russia’s interests into consideration before taking steps, such as the eastward expansion of Nato to countries like Georgia and Ukraine and the deployment of US interceptor missiles to Poland.If not, Mr Medvedev gave warning that he would defend the Kremlin’s interests by force if necessary, particularly in “Russian zones of interest”, namely the areas which once made up the former Soviet Union. He added that he would be meeting his defence and industry ministers shortly to reequip the Russian military with modern arms.

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