Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov refuses to rule out the use of nuclear weapons if Russia faces an ‘existential threat’

Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov refuses to rule out the use of nuclear weapons if Russia faces an ‘existential threat’

by

In an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Tuesday, Dmitry Peskov repeatedly refused to rule out that Russia would consider using nuclear weapons against what Moscow saw as an “existential threat.” When asked under what conditions Putin would use Russia’s nuclear capability, Peskov replied, “if it is an existential threat to our country, then so be it.”

Putin has previously suggested using nuclear weapons against nations he saw as a threat to Russia. Back in February, the Russian president said in a televised statement: “No matter who is trying to stand in our way or so much the more it poses threats to our country and our people, they need to know that Russia will react immediately, and the consequences will be like you have never seen in your entire history. “
He then said at a televised meeting with Russian defense officials that “officials in leading NATO countries have allowed themselves to make aggressive comments about our country, therefore I hereby order the Minister of Defense and the Chief of the General Staff to place the Russian Army deterrence Force in combat readiness. ”

Asked what Putin thought he had achieved in Ukraine so far, Peskov replied: “Well, first of all, not yet. He has not achieved yet.”

Ukraine has denied Russia a victory for four weeks. A gloomy new phase may be on the way

The spokesman also claimed that the “special military operation” – the Kremlin’s official euphemism for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – “took place strictly in accordance with the plans and objectives set in advance.”

Peskov also reiterated Putin’s demands, saying that “the main objectives of the operation” are to “get rid of Ukraine’s military potential”, to ensure that Ukraine is a “neutral country”, to get rid of “nationalist battalions” for Ukraine . to accept that Crimea – annexed by Russia in 2014 – is part of Russia and to accept that the breakaway states of Luhansk and Donetsk “are already independent states.”

He also claimed that Russia has only attacked military targets, despite numerous reports of Russian airstrikes against civilian targets protecting ordinary Ukrainians.

The interview comes as Western intelligence services have reported that Russia’s operations have stalled in parts of Ukraine.

Leave a Comment