During his visit to Uzbekistan, the Russian dictator hinted at the possibility of using nuclear weapons against the West if Ukraine receives permission to strike with precision weapons at targets in Russia.
Vladimir Putin never tires of frightening the world with the possible use of nuclear weapons. During his three-day visit to Uzbekistan, 80% of the Russian leader’s press briefing was devoted to Ukraine and threats against the West.
Putin has repeatedly warned of “consequences for the Western world” if Ukraine receives permission from its allies to use western-made precision weapons to strike military targets in the Russian Federation. According to Ukrainian intelligence, such a decision may be made in the near future.
Blackmail with nuclear weapons and threats to use force against European countries, including hints of “high population density,” were the central theme of Putin’s speech in Uzbekistan. These statements are seen by experts as a sign of anxiety and despair in the Kremlin over Ukraine’s possible military build-up.
“The Kremlin is focusing on attempts to cause a crisis of legitimacy of the Ukrainian government, internal destabilization of society, combined with terror against the civilian population,” commented Andriy Yusov, representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
According to him , “the usual story is to try to undermine the situation inside, the issue of propaganda for the so-called delegitimization of the Ukrainian government – these are the areas in which the enemy will continue to work.”
At the same time, Putin’s visit to Uzbekistan was likely intended to demonstrate the fake support of Russia’s “allies” amid its growing international isolation. This was meant to be a contrast to Ukraine’s active diplomacy, including the upcoming summit of leaders from more than 50 countries to be hosted by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Switzerland in June.
However, the real situation for Putin is critical – after the failure of the offensive in Kharkiv region, the success of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and the tightening of Western sanctions that are paralyzing the Russian economy. In this context, threats to use nuclear weapons may be an act of desperation, but they cannot be ignored given the unpredictability and adventurism of the Putin regime.
The international community must respond decisively to these threats by increasing pressure on Russia and providing Ukraine with all the necessary weapons and support to defeat the aggressor as soon as possible to preserve peace and security in Europe.
