President Vladimir Putin has already stated that if Russia is attacked, he would feel justified in deploying nuclear weapons.
Putin said this during a feature-length interview with pro-Kremlin journalist Vladimir Solovyov, which was broadcast on Russia-1 in March 2018. Rusia's president also stated in the interview that Russia would only use nuclear weapons if it detected the launch of other missiles aimed at Russia. It's unclear if Putin meant that Russia would reply solely if nuclear weapons were used or if non-nuclear missiles were used in general.
Video: Putin Warns Release of Nuclear Weapons
There is no public sign that the West is considering a missile strike against Russia. The Financial Times resurrected the Putin quotation from 2018 in a piece released on Tuesday. Russia has been 'nuclear saber-rattling' since invading Ukraine. Throughout the conflict, Russia has dangled the danger of nuclear war.
Putin claimed he put Russia's nuclear program on high alert days after various nations sanctioned Russia over the invasion, ostensibly to avert more punishment. Western authorities, however, argued at the time that it did not appear to make any significant improvements to Russia's nuclear preparedness and that it was most likely only a distraction from the invasion.
In response to the threats, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned Russia to refrain from nuclear saber-rattling. Some US lawmakers have suggested that if Russia uses a nuclear weapon in Ukraine and If the strike's radiation is detected over a NATO state's border, it should be deemed an attack on the alliance.
The notion of collective defense is stated in Article 5 of the NATO treaty, which means that an assault on one nation is an attack on all of them. NATO forces have so far refused to send soldiers into Ukraine, opting instead to give military assistance from afar, Business Insider reported.
Vladimir Putin Health Speculation Intensifies
Another video of Vladimir Putin fidgeting has surfaced, fueling speculation that his health is worsening. Putin looks to be attempting to control his shaking hand by bringing it into his body during a meeting with Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko. He is then seen gripping the arm of his chair and pulling his chair towards him.
The newly discovered tape has reignited suspicions about the Russian President's health. Putin's acts have been characterized as awkward yet essential for support.
Putin has been spotted grasping chair armrests and tapping his feet in other, more recent televised sessions, possibly as a show of displeasure, according to reports. This, along with accusations that his face is puffier than it has been in the past and that his posture is slouched, has been used to infer Putin is unwell.
Putin is accused of having Parkinson's disease, which is one of the most common charges. Former MI6 director Sir Richard Dearlove, reported in The Week, believes the best explanation for his conduct is that he has Parkinson's disease.
Another widely-circulated allegation is that the President has cancer. Putin is said to be suffering from cancer, a brain tumor, or having developed an addiction to steroids, according to rumors.
Anders Aslund, a former adviser to Russia and Ukraine, expressed the opinion that Putin's actions may be about more than his physical condition. Putin appeared not just "in ill health," but also "depressed," he added at a meeting with Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. Due to the absence of confirmed information on the issue, reports should be regarded with a grain of salt, as per Express.
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