Putin: Russian nuclear weapons are "more advanced" than American ones

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Moscow's nuclear arsenal on Wednesday and warned that he is prepared to deploy it if Russian sovereignty is threatened.

The Kremlin has been promoting its nuclear capabilities amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine for the past two years, and last month warned Western countries of a "real" risk of a nuclear disaster in the event of any escalation of the conflict.

Putin's intimidating statements come just days before the scheduled elections in Russia, which will grant him an additional six years in power while his army makes gains in Ukraine.

In an interview with local media covering a wide range of topics, Putin said, "Our triad, the nuclear triad, is more advanced than any other triad. We and the Americans are the only ones with such a triad. We have made much greater progress here."

He added in the interview aired on Wednesday, "We are ready to use weapons, including any weapons — including those mentioned — if the issue is existential for the Russian state or threatens our sovereignty and independence."

The Russian President also downplayed the significance of recent statements made by French President Emmanuel Macron.

 

Last month, Macron refused to rule out sending forces to Ukraine, marking a significant shift in Paris's official discourse at a time when Kyiv faces field difficulties.

Putin stated, "The truth is that the armies of Western countries have been present in Ukraine for a long time," about what the Kremlin describes as mercenaries.

AFP