Russia would only use nuclear weapons if its very existence were threatened, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday in an interview with CNN.
“President [Vladimir] Putin intends to make the world listen to and understand our concerns. We have been trying to convey our concerns to the world, to Europe, to the US, for a couple of decades. But no one would listen to us, and before it is too late, it was a decision to start the special military operation to get rid of anti-Russia that was created that was created next to our borders,” Peskov said.
“We have a concept of domestic security. It’s public; you can read all the reasons for nuclear arms to be used. So, if it is an existential threat for our country, then it can be used in accordance with our concept.”
Peskov’s statement comes nearly four weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.
A few days later, Putin ordered Russian nuclear forces on high alert, citing the West’s “aggressive [and] illegitimate sanctions” against Russia as the cause.
The next day, Russian nuclear missile forces and Northern and Pacific fleets were placed on enhanced combat duty.
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