Russian President Vladimir Putin stated in an interview with RIA Novosti that Russia is ready militarily and technically for a nuclear war. He stated that during the military operation on the territory of Ukraine there was never a need to use tactical nuclear weapons.
"From a military-technical point of view, of course, we are ready. They (Russian nuclear forces) are in constant combat readiness," Putin said. He stated that Russia's nuclear troika is more advanced than any other. He stated that the Russian Federation would be ready to use nuclear weapons if the existence of the Russian state or damage to its sovereignty and independence was threatened.
The nuclear triad includes three components: strategic aviation, intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear submarines.
According to the Russian president, the US is currently setting itself the task of increasing the modernity of its nuclear forces and developing all their components. "So do we," he noted. Vladimir Putin did not rule out the possibility of Russia conducting nuclear weapons tests if the US conducts them.
On March 9, the CNN television channel quoted two high-ranking American officials as saying that at the end of 2022, the United States had begun "deep preparations" for a possible Russian nuclear strike on the territory of Ukraine. According to the interlocutors, Washington began to consider this scenario after the intelligence services received "certain information". White House sources have also told The New York Times of such preparations. Russian President Dmitry Peskov's spokesman said that reports of Russia's possible use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine are "speculations published in the newspapers"./BGNES
