"In many ways, yes," Peskov said in an interview out on Sunday when asked if Biden is trying to take revenge for the Democrats' defeat in the election.
Biden’s administration is trying to leave "some kind of heritage" to Trump and bring him to bay in the Ukraine conflict settlement, Peskov added.
Russia’s Oreshnik Missile Test Timely, Effective in Current Situation With West
Russia's strike using the new Oreshnik missile was timely and effective in the current situation when the West shows readiness to do anything to defeat Russia, Peskov argued.
"The collective West, led by the United States, demonstrates that they are ready to do anything to repress Russia, to inflict a strategic defeat. That is why such warning wake-up calls, saying ‘don't even think about it,’ I mean the strike by our new missile [Oreshnik], are timely, it was required and effective," Peskov said in an interview with Russian journalist Pavel Zarubin.
The spokesman called the current state of relations between Russia and the West unprecedented when asked if the current crisis outshines the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decree updating Russia’s nuclear doctrine can be considered a signal to the West and should not be seen as a coincidence, he added.
“Surely, there cannot be any coincidences here. There is certain consistency,” Peskov said when asked about the doctrine update.
The spokesman added that Russia constantly has to respond to unprecedented escalation incited by the West.
“Although President Putin assigned to prepare the amendments in order to adapt our [nuclear] doctrine to the conditions of the current confrontation, which is incited by the Western states, Putin has to respond to the unprecedented escalation which is primarily spurred by the outgoing administration in Washington,” Peskov said.
And the United States is continuing to take even more reckless steps to escalate the Ukrainian conflict, the spokesman added.