PUTIN VOWS RUSSIA WILL NOT YIELD TO THE U.S. (PHOTO).

 Putin vows Russia will not yield to the US

President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Russia will not yield to pressure from the United States or any other foreign power, warning that any military strikes on Russian territory would be met with a “very serious, if not overwhelming” response. The remarks came after the Trump administration imposed sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies, a move Putin called “unfriendly” and predicted would have consequences but not cripple Russia’s economy. He argued the measures were an attempt to pressure Moscow, shrugged off their immediate financial impact, and suggested that disrupting Russian exports would drive oil prices sharply higher — a result that could have political fallout in the United States.

Putin also referenced the canceled summit with President Trump and criticized what he described as escalatory steps, including reports that the U.S. had loosened restrictions on certain long-range weapons for Ukraine. He framed Western actions as provocative and cautioned that any use of such weapons against Russia would force a forceful retaliation. At the same time, he downplayed the prospect that sanctions would dent Russia’s energy confidence, and he mocked the idea that Western countries would be able to easily replace Russian goods, while urging diplomacy over confrontation.