Putin raises the specter of nuclear conflict amidst escalating tensions, saying "Russia will do everything"

President of Russia Vladimir Putin sent a strong message to the West on Thursday, raising the possibility of nuclear war amid growing strains over the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, according to Financial Times.

Kremlin praised Russian forces who invaded Ukraine and vowed to oppose Western attempts to constrain Russia while speaking at a ceremony on Red Square honoring the Soviet Union's victory in World War II.

In an apparent allusion to NATO's expansion, notably incorporating Sweden and Finland following Russia's action in Ukraine, Putin said, "We reject any state or alliance's exceptionalist pretenses — we know what follows when these ambitions go unchecked."

"Russia will make every effort to prevent a world war, but we also won't tolerate threats to our security. Putin stated, "Our strategic forces are always at combat readiness," making reference to Russia's potent nuclear weapons.

Three RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile launchers, which Russia claims can attack targets anywhere in the globe, were on exhibit as part of the event's military weapons display.

Putin's warning came more than two years into the Ukrainian conflict, at a critical point. Russia has made progress, but its military forces have also lost a great deal of ground. Interestingly, there was just one tank in the parade: the T-34, a revered artifact from World War II.

The International Institute for Strategic Studies said in February that Russia had lost approximately 3,000 tanks in the conflict, matching its pre-invasion stockpile.

Speaking to soldiers in Ukraine, Putin underlined the significance of their work, saying that the invasion's success will determine Russia's future social and economic growth.

Russia, meantime, has stepped up its rhetoric and issued vague threats about its nuclear weapons. Editor of the official foreign news network RT, Margarita Simonyan, emphasized the Yars rockets' menacing presentation as a warning to possible enemies.

In addition, the Russian Defense Ministry declared that it will be conducting tactical nuclear weapons training in reaction to "provocative statements" made by Western leaders, such as the recommendation made by French President Emmanuel Macron regarding the deployment of Western troops in Ukraine.

Sergei Ryabkov, the deputy foreign minister, underlined that the goal of these measures was to demonstrate Russia's determination in the face of rising hostilities.

"We are warning our adversaries that their escalationary tendencies make it necessary for us to take steps to essentially strengthen our deterrence," Ryabkov said.

Putin played down the importance of the exercises, calling them merely normal, while Ryabkov raised the possibility that Russia's nuclear strategy would change in response to new security concerns.

"At the moment there are no such changes, but the situation itself is changing," said Ryabkov. "So the relation of our basic documents in the field to our security requirements is the subject of constant analysis."

Even with Putin's promises, the language of saber-rattling highlights how unstable global tensions are and how imminent a nuclear conflict seems.

Source: Newsroom