In an interview ahead of Russian elections that will likely extend his rule, Putin warned the US about limits to supporting Ukraine and hinted at Russia’s nuclear capabilities.
He said Russia was ready for nuclear war from a military standpoint, but did not expect direct US intervention in Ukraine.
“From a military-technical point of view, we are, of course, ready,” Putin said.
Putin emphasized Russia would treat such action as interference.
He reiterated Russia’s nuclear doctrine allows use if the country faces an attack or threat to its existence.
“Apart from [President Joe] Biden, there are enough other experts in the sphere of Russian-American relations and strategic restraint. So I don’t think that everything is going to go head-on here, but we are ready for it,” Putin said.
“Weapons exist in order to use them,” Putin said. “We have our own principles.”
While saying talks could occur if substantive, Putin criticized Western “cravings” on Ukraine policy.
He assessed the US was not ready for nuclear war the next day but both sides were developing modern capabilities.
“Russia is ready for negotiations on Ukraine, but they should be based on reality — and not on cravings after the use of psychotropic drugs,” he said.
“They are now setting tasks to increase this modernity, innovation. They have a corresponding plan. We know about it, too. They are developing all their components. So are we,” Putin said.
Putin also accused the West of threatening nuclear conflict and civilization over Ukraine and said Russia had weapons that could hit their territories in response.
Putin signaled Russia’s willingness to escalate over Ukraine and highlighted its nuclear forces to deter the West.
“Everything that they are coming up with now, with which they threaten the entire world — all this really threatens a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons, and therefore the destruction of civilization — don’t they understand this, or what?” Putin said.
“They must ultimately understand that we also have weapons — and they know about it, just as I now said — we also have weapons that can hit targets on their territory,” he said.
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