(Photo : Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
A general view of the city center in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
A Russian parliamentarian suggested carrying out a nuclear strike on the Netherlands, with the intention of damaging the energy facilities of Ukrainian allies.
Andrey Gurulyov, a former military officer and member of the Russian Duma, proposed the hypothetical strike during an appearance on the Russian television show "Evening With Vladimir Solovyov."
While participating in a round table with other Russian authorities, Gurulyov claimed that more than half of Europe's energy supply comes from the Netherlands. He did not specify a particular city but the port city of Rotterdam is a major energy supplier.
The discussion was translated by Russian Media Monitor, a project spearheaded by journalist Julia Davis.
Meanwhile in Russia: State Duma member Andrey Gurulyov and state TV host Vladimir Solovyov urged nuclear strikes against Europe and the U.S. and felt vindicated against anyone who criticized them, since Putin's message is in perfect alignment with theirs.https://t.co/iWNJusCw9r
— Julia Davis (@JuliaDavisNews) June 3, 2024
"The coast of Holland is what the military calls a very 'fat target.'" Gurulyov said. "The same Holland that permitted Ukraine to use F-16s on our territory. All petroleum refineries will be wiped out. Holland will be wiped out. The dams will burst. It will simply be flooded. I assure you that everything in Europe will come to a standstill."
When questioned by Solovyov, the politician confirmed that he was specifically interested in striking the Netherlands with a nuclear missile. The Netherlands are not a nuclear power but does participate in NATO's nuclear weapons-sharing arrangements.
"For sure," Gurulyov said. "I think we need to display our decisiveness-what is there to be afraid of?"
The lawmaker's remarks come as Russia continues to grapple with Ukraine for control of Kharkiv, HNGN previously reported. Russian forces began an assault on the Ukrainian province in mid-May. The initial invasion resulted in an alarming set back for Ukrainians but President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that his troops were able to reclaim some of their lost territory.
