Russia's Medvedev quotes Stalin to urge more weapons production

Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev read a menacing 1941 telegram from Soviet dictator Josef Stalin aloud to armaments industry leaders in a bid to boost domestic arms production.

Medvedev posted videos online of himself reading the World War II-era telegram from Stalin during a meeting with a national armaments commission.

"If it turns out in a few days that you are violating your duty to the fatherland, I will start beating you up like criminals," Stalin wrote in the 1941 letter to a factory demanding quicker production of tank parts.

Medvedev, who is now deputy head of the Russian Security Council, then turned to the group of Russian armaments industry leaders: "Colleagues, I want you to listen to me and remember the words of the generalissimo."

Medvedev, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is a particularly fervent and enthusiastic supporter of Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine.

Several Russian media outlets reported on his unusual comments and decision to quote Stalin.

Shortly after publishing the videos, Medvedev also posted excerpts from an interview with Russian journalists in which he claims Russia is actually fighting a war against all of NATO.