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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday lauded Moscow’s nuclear arsenal and warned that he was ready to deploy the weapons if Russia’s sovereignty was threatened.
The Kremlin, which has touted its nuclear prowess throughout its two-year offensive in Ukraine, last month told Western countries that there was a “real risk” of nuclear catastrophe if they escalated the conflict.
“Our triad, the nuclear triad, it is more modern than any other triad. Only we and the Americans actually have such triads. And we have advanced much more here,” Putin said in a wide-ranging interview with State media.
“We are ready to use weapons, including any weapons — including the weapons you mentioned — if it is a question of the existence of the Russian state or damage to our sovereignty and independence.”
The Russian leader also dismissed recent comments from French leader Emmanuel Macron, who last month declined to rule out the deployment of French troops on the ground, a significant shift in rhetoric as Ukraine continues to struggle on the battlefield after the spectacular failing of its much vaunted counter offensive.
“The fact is that the militaries of Western countries have been present in Ukraine for a long time,” the Russian leader claimed, referring to what the Kremlin says are mercenaries.
“But if we talk about official military contingents of foreign countries, I am sure it will not change the situation on the battlefield.”
While Macron has doubled down on his remarks, several of Ukraine’s allies, including Washington, have distanced themselves from the idea, which stunned many in Europe.
Putin’s comments came hours after a wave of drone strikes targeted Russia’s oil refineries and border regions for the second day in a row.
“The Ryazan oil refinery was attacked by a drone,” Ryazan regional governor Pavel Malkov wrote on Telegram.
This week, Russia has faced some of the most significant attacks on its territory since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine a little over two years ago.
The Russian President added that Ukraine was upping its attacks on Russian territory in order to interfere with upcoming presidential elections.
“It’s simple. This is all happening against the backdrop of failures on the frontline. They did not achieve any of the goals that they set for themselves last year,” Putin said.
Ukraine has ceded ground to Russian forces in recent months as it faces a myriad of shortages, from artillery to air defences, in part because a $60 billion aid package remains held up in the US Congress.
