Former Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, issued a stark warning on Saturday, predicting that the United States will face an “imminent new civil war” linked to ongoing sanctions against Russia and the upcoming 2024 U.S. presidential election. Since the onset of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022, the U.S. and its allies have imposed thousands of sanctions targeting Russian individuals, businesses, and institutions.

In a message posted on Telegram, Medvedev, who now serves as the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, addressed the political climate in the U.S. as it heads into a heated election. Medvedev cast doubt on Trump’s potential to significantly alter U.S. policy toward Russia, saying, “Out of spite for the current administration, Donald Trump has threatened to lift sanctions against Russia. But will he really do it if elected? No, of course not. For all his apparent bravado as an ‘outsider’, Trump is ultimately an establishment insider.” He characterized Trump as a “pragmatist” who recognizes that sanctions weaken the dollar’s global dominance but suggested Trump wouldn’t defy the U.S. establishment, often referred to as the “Deep State.”

Medvedev was equally critical of Harris, dismissing her as “inexperienced” and reliant on scripted speeches, while predicting no major policy shifts under her administration. “There were sanctions against the USSR throughout the 20th century, and they’ve returned on an unprecedented scale in the 21st. So, it’s sanctions forever. Or rather, until the U.S. collapses during an imminent new civil war,” Medvedev said.

In response to Medvedev’s comments, Trump’s spokesperson Steven Cheung dismissed the Russian leader’s remarks, stating, “Putin has endorsed Kamala Harris because he knows she will be a pushover for Russia.”

This is not the first time Medvedev has warned of civil unrest in the U.S. In a July 4 message, he likened the current American political climate to the American Civil War, drawing parallels to the conflict in Ukraine. Throughout the Russia-Ukraine war, Medvedev has gained attention for his provocative statements on social media, including calls for nuclear strikes against NATO and threats to eliminate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Despite Medvedev’s frequent warnings, the U.S. Department of State has downplayed their significance. In a previous statement, a department spokesperson called his remarks “standard Kremlin nonsense” and advised against taking them seriously.

Other Russian officials have echoed the idea of a U.S. civil war. In December 2023, political scientist Sergei Markov, a former advisor to Putin, suggested that civil unrest in the U.S. would quickly lead to an end to the war in Ukraine, arguing that Kyiv would rush to negotiate a settlement if the U.S. was destabilized.

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