Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned that the world would continue to be on the verge of a Third World War if Russia did not get the security guarantees it wants.
The former Russian president's remarks came after Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu's call last month for the military to develop next-generation weapons.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev also accused Ukraine and the West of having Russophobic views.
The Russian official also accused the "artificial state" of Kazakhstan of committing a "genocide of Russians."
Medvedev served as Russia's president from 2008 to 2012 and the country's prime minister from 2012 to 2020.
Some of the potential candidates to replace Putin included former President Medvedev, Moscow Mayor Sobyanin and Putin's deputy chief of staff Sergei Kirienko.
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