- Putin threatened Germany and the US on supporting Ukraine with weapons against Russia.
- “We have a nuclear doctrine, look at what it says. For some reason, the west believes that Russia will never use it.” Putin told the press.
- Russia's 2020 nuclear doctrine authorizes it to consider the use of nuclear weapons, if a weapon of mass destruction is used against the Russian territory, or its existence threatened.
Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has threatened the west by stating that Russia’s use of nuclear weapons was not out of the question, if any country aided Ukraine armament.
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 by sending 200,000 armed troupes into the Kyiev capital. Putin termed the invasion as “a special military operation” aimed at demilitarizing and de-nazifying Ukraine.
With Ukraine fighting back, the invasion turned into a long drawn-out war that has seen more than 13Million Ukrainians displaced inside their own country.
Meeting with international news agencies’ leaders for the first time since the invasion, Putin made it clear that nuclear weapons would be used if Russia’s sovereignity or territory was threatened.
He quoted the country’s 2020 nuclear doctrine, which authorizes Russia to consider the use of nuclear weapons, if a weapon of mass destruction is used against it, or its existence threatened.
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“We have a nuclear doctrine, look at what it says. For some reason, the west believes that Russia will never use it,” Putin told the press.
Putin also dispelled claims and fears that Russia could attack NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) countries, telling the press to stop painting Russia as the enemy. He said this despite rising tension in Europe that a war on NATO countries could happen anytime soon.
Three of the NATO countries, the USA, United Kingdom and France, are nuclear weapon states, meaning that they are officially recognized to possess nuclear weapons. Putin threatened Germany and the US on supporting Ukraine with weapons against Russia.
“That would mark their direct involvement in the war against the Russian federation and we reserve the right to act the same way,” Putin said.