Putin says Russia ready for nuclear war.

Amid escalating tensions with the West, Russian President Vladimir Putin recently stated that his country is "technically ready" for nuclear war. This declaration comes as Putin emphasizes the constant combat readiness of Russia's nuclear arsenal, indicating a willingness to defend its sovereignty while also mentioning the possibility of dialogue over Ukraine.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

Russian Yars intercontinental ballistic missile being launched during a test at Plesetsk, in northwest Russia on October 26, 2022 (Picture source: Russian MoD)

These remarks were made shortly before the Russian presidential elections, where Putin is almost assured of retaining power. The Russian president also warned of the presence of American and European troops on Russian or Ukrainian soil, which he would consider a significant escalation.

The threat of resuming nuclear testing by Russia follows its withdrawal from the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). Despite these provocative statements, Putin highlighted the lack of necessity to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, while remaining open to serious negotiations on the conflict.

Just a year ago, the Russian president expressed intentions to deploy "tactical" nuclear weapons in Belarus, a country bordering Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania. Additionally, Russian officials have repeatedly made thinly veiled threats of using nuclear weapons in Ukraine if the conflict significantly escalates. More recently, Putin was shown in the cockpit of a Tu-160M strategic and supersonic bomber of Russia's nuclear deterrence forces.

The current situation recalls the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, marking a period of high tension between Russia and the West. Putin has repeatedly indicated that Western intervention in Ukraine could lead to a nuclear conflict, a worrying prospect for global security.

By highlighting the modernity of Russia's nuclear arsenal, Putin seeks to deter further Western intervention in Ukraine. These statements come as Western support for Ukraine appears to wane, raising questions about Ukraine's ability to withstand Russian advances.

Russia has the world's largest nuclear arsenal. According to the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), Russia possesses 5,889 warheads compared to 5,244 for the United States. However, the number of operational or deployed warheads by Russia is over 1,600 compared to 1,800 for the United States.

Russia has recently developed a missile known as "Satan 2" by NATO, which is the largest intercontinental nuclear missile ever designed. This missile can strike over 10,000 kilometers away and can destroy an area as large as France or Texas.

The RS-28 Sarmat missile is an intercontinental ballistic missile weighing about a hundred tons and carrying nearly 12 nuclear warheads. Russia has also developed hypersonic missiles deployed in the Kaliningrad enclave. The Kinjal (dagger in Russian) hypersonic missiles are designed to evade interception by any missile defense shield. They can be equipped with a nuclear warhead. Other warheads are less destructive and can be used on the battlefield against an enemy army, known as tactical nuclear weapons. The exact number of tactical nuclear warheads in the Russian arsenal is not disclosed.

Defense News March 2024