President Vladimir Putin said Russia is ready to use nuclear weapons if there is a threat to its state, sovereignty and independence, and expressed hope that the United States would refrain from actions that could trigger a nuclear conflict.
President Putin's statement served as another blunt warning to the West. presidential vote This week it becomes almost certain that he will win another six-year term.
In an interview on Russian state television published early on Wednesday, President Putin described US President Joe Biden as a veteran politician who fully understands the potential risks of escalation, warning that the world is headed toward nuclear war. He said he did not think that there was.
At the same time, he stressed that Russia's nuclear forces are fully ready and “from a military-technical point of view, we are ready.”
Putin said that in accordance with Russia's security principles, he was ready to use nuclear weapons in the event of a threat to “the existence of the Russian state, the sovereignty and independence of our country.”
The Russian leader has repeatedly spoken about his readiness to use nuclear weapons since launching his invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The latest such threat was expressed in last month's State of the Nation Address. warned the western countries Deepening involvement in the fighting in Ukraine would risk nuclear war.
Asked in an interview whether he had ever considered using nuclear weapons on the battlefield in Ukraine, Putin said there was no need to do so.
He also expressed confidence that Russia would achieve its goals on the Ukraine issue and issued a blunt warning to Western allies, saying, “Countries that say there are no red lines that should not be crossed with respect to Russia are those who say that there are no red lines that should be crossed regarding Russia. We must recognize that there is no red line.” ”
He left the door open for dialogue, but stressed that Russia would maintain its interests and seek firm guarantees from the West.
“It should be serious talks that include guarantees for the security of the Russian Federation, not a break for the enemy to rearm,” he said.
Putin said a recent surge in Ukrainian drone strikes deep in Russia, which will take place over a three-day period starting Friday, will see the country's president count on tighter control over Russian politics and expect a landslide victory. He said it was part of an effort to derail the election. He established during his 24 year reign.
Russian authorities reported a new large-scale attack by Ukrainian drones early Wednesday. The Ministry of Defense announced that its air defense forces shot down 58 drones in six regions. One of the drones crashed into an oil refinery in the Ryazan region, injuring at least two people and causing a fire. Another drone was also shot down as it approached an oil refinery near St. Petersburg.
Meanwhile, Ukraine reported further Russian attacks early Wednesday morning.
Two people were killed and five others were injured in a Russian airstrike in Mirnohrad, a town in eastern Donetsk about 30 kilometers from the front lines, Governor Vadim Filashkin said. Local rescue teams have successfully rescued a 13-year-old girl from the rubble of an apartment building hit by a Russian missile.
A five-story building in the northern city of Sumy was hit by a Russian drone overnight, and 10 people, including eight injured, were rescued from the rubble, according to the regional administration.
In the central Dnipropetrovsk region, home to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the death toll from the previous night's Russian missile attack has risen to four, Governor Serhiy Lysak announced. He said 43 people were injured in the Krivi Ri incident, including 12 children, the youngest of whom was 2 years and 11 months old.
“Our cities and villages are subject to similar attacks every day. Ukraine loses people every day to Russia's evil,” Zelenskyy said.
___
Follow AP's coverage of the Ukraine war. https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine