world

Putin escalates Ukraine war; issues nuclear threat to West

65 Comments
By Guy Faulconbridge

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© Thomson Reuters 2022.

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

65 Comments

Comments have been disabled You can no longer respond to this thread.

Anyone who thinks Russia will really use nuclear weapons hasn't thought it through. In nay case, tactical nuclear weapons are not going to help much in this war. They would sort of make sense against a massed armoured division in the Fulda Gap, but not really on the open plains of Ukraine.

14 ( +22 / -8 )

Some of his screws have come loose, that's for sure. The blame for a nuke going off over Moscow would be forever on him.

21 ( +28 / -7 )

The only difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is that folks in power in democracies can be removed without bloodshed. In some cases democracies do resemble dictatorships.

Even if Putin is gone after this confrontation is done and dusted who or what will emerge in his place might not really be someone the West likes and vice versa.

-2 ( +8 / -10 )

Month 7: Russian Hitler announces mobilization after suffering massive defeat in Kharkiv, threatens Ukraine with nuclear weapons for the 57th time.

Waiting for the Russian Hitler fans to explain how this is still going entirely according to plan.

22 ( +28 / -6 )

How can Russians support this lunatic?

30 ( +35 / -5 )

I think that Russia has failed to complete their mission and they are so desperate that they don't even know what excuses to invent!

18 ( +23 / -5 )

Look, Russian Federation has up until now, an undeniably robust military capability.

Land sea and air.

Why would such a capability have to fall back on called up 300,000 reservists and ordering Russia's first mobilization since World War Two and backed a plan to annex swathes of Ukraine, warning the West he was not bluffing when he said he'd be ready to use nuclear weapons to defend Russia.

"If the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we will without doubt use all available means to protect Russia and our people - this is not a bluff,"

Ever more shrill threats of/to the the use of tactical nuclear weapons on some imaginary western foe.

It's the unhinged ranting of a tyrant dictator that has realised he has boxed himself into a corner.

Withdraw now.

22 ( +27 / -5 )

Another lie by Putin.

13 ( +19 / -6 )

It's an abject admission that the Special Military Operation is not going to plan. It's an admission that russia has lost more military manpower than it can afford to. An admission that russia is losing.

Putin said that top government officials in several unnamed "leading" NATO countries had spoken of potentially using nuclear weapons against Russia.

after Mad Vlad announced 4 days after the invasion he said he wasn't planning, that he had put russia's nuclear forces 'on special alert'.

"We cannot, have no moral right to hand over people close to us to the executioners, we cannot but respond to their sincere desire to determine their own fate."

By flattening their homes, tying their hands behind their backs, administering electric shocks, breaking bones, shooting them in the head, cutting off their genitals. throwing them unceremoniously into mass graves?

Mad Vlad has totally lost it. Hopefully those around him charged with actually pressing the button will refuse to join in his madness any more, and put a bullet in the back of his head.

23 ( +28 / -5 )

Make no mistake, Putin's back is now against the wall, the perfect moment for true Russian patriots to pull the plug or the trigger and rid themselves of this vile, cold-blooded piece of work.

22 ( +29 / -7 )

The Russian Government must withdraw. Totally

Under strict understanding, that reparations will be forthcoming to the Ukrainian people, most importantly the ICJ hold the Russian Government, in a independent war crimes tribunal to account for the atrocities committed to families, the depraved violation of women children and fathers/men.

15 ( +21 / -6 )

Putin is playing a dangerous game. How is invading, bombing, and shelling Ukraine defending Russia? Ukraine has not attacked Russia until Putin's invasion. The recent embarrassments and losses are spurring him on. Putin has destroyed Russia as a player on the world stage.

19 ( +26 / -7 )

Putins war is now facing escalation in an attempt to avert a disasterous defeat at the hands of Ukraine forces.

The hurried sham referendum of Russians rushed into captured segments of Ukraine and the removal of pro Ukrainians en mass in order to ensure the referendum passes in Russia's favor are in order for the new "Russian lands" to fall under Russia's nuclear umbrella. The loss of these new territories is supposed to be avoided by threats of using nuclear weapons against Ukraine attempts to liberate their stolen lands.

The west must remain firm and assure Putin that any use of Nuclear weapons in Ukraine territories, including stolen land, will be responded to with nuclear strikes inside Russia itself.

If Putin's threats enable him to steal Ukraine territory, it sets a new precedent for further Russian incursions using such threats in Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova and other regions it wants to swallow up.

Russia must be opposed and if it means he has started WWIII then it must be so, rather than allow Russia to take other nations by force, one by one.

More weapons including long range missiles, modern fighter jets and modern main battle tanks must now be provided to Ukraine. And more sanctions on Russia. A complete cessation of all trade with Russia must be enforced. They have brought it upon themselves with their evil murderous invasion to take Ukraine and make it theirs.

If foreign troops from any nation join Russia on the battlefield, then NATO should join the conflict on Ukraine side.

Putin and all those who support him are truly evil people.

6 ( +14 / -8 )

There are so many outrageous lies in that speech it's really hard to know where to start.

The only nuclear blackmail has been from the Russians who have specifically threatened it several times as well as on state tv (any network still on the air) where the fat old men an perky young women bluster about it nightly.

If, IF mini-me were to order a strike, his commanders would know a NATO response is inevitable. One wonders if they would carry out his commands. I have heard talk to the effect that the NATO conventional response to the use of tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine would be decisive.

There is no plan to break up Russia. The West has not crossed all lines, but lines on conventional weapons sales might be blurred if this continues.

Nobody and I mean NOBODY in Ukraine is going to be intimidated at this bluster. Ukraine belongs to Ukraine and they are taking it back sham referendum or no.

And do tell, putie-boy, how do you intend to train, equip, feed, train, support and pay these new troops? You cannot do any of the above for the troops you got.

Your training battalions are deployed as combat units and have been attriated significantly.

The first tank guards army was essentially destroyed and will take years to reconstitute.

2/3 of your front line tanks are smoldering ruin or have been "contributed" to the Ukrainian army.

The non-reserve troops you have now have poor morale, are spent as a fighting force and are abandoning their positions or surrendering in large numbers.

So, sham referendums with no legal or diplomatic effect. No ability to put an army in the field capable of achieving its goals. An economy that is finally starting to show significant decline that will only accelerate. And an obvious bluff to nuke everyone if it doesn't get its way.

Mini-me flails and sputtering again.

He thought this would be the first step towards the disintegration of NATO. Surprise, arguably the dumbest "intelligence" officer ever and the worst strategist since Hitler was mistaken.

9 ( +14 / -5 )

Generations of Ukrainians are going to hate Russia. And they are going to be looking for reparations. Justifiably. Putin started a war that he shouldn't have and it is failing badly. Even China and India have now made it clear to Putin that they are not happy about his "special miltary operation" that has gone on for 8 months.

17 ( +21 / -4 )

"If the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we will without doubt use all available means to protect Russia and our people - this is not a bluff,"

Is this a threat to use nuclear weapons? Unlike USA which states it can use nukes "in the event of surprising military developments", i.e. "anytime we like". The Russians have reiterated again and again nukes can only be used if they are first used against Russia or a Russian ally or in the event of an invasion of Russia the Russian armed forces can't stop.

The second of those isn't happening for the foreseeable future. So don't use nukes first and the Russians won't use nukes.

-24 ( +4 / -28 )

Ukrainian leader Zelenskyy is no angel and falsely wrapping himself in “democracy” to get western aid, having shut down media not favorable to him and jailing his political rivals, that doesn’t justify Russia’s invasion.

The referendum will be a sham.

It’s reported that Putin’s speech had to be delayed because of his health. He may think he has nothing to lose. A sick dog backed into a corner will bite.

Russia pulled out of Afghanistan after Russians tired of the meat grinder war killing so many Russians. Putin doubling down on Ukraine seems driven more by his own days being numbered and no consideration about the Russian people. Going out in a blaze of glory will only end in tears.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

Is this a threat to use nuclear weapons? Unlike USA which states it can use nukes "in the event of surprising military developments", i.e. "anytime we like". The Russians have reiterated again and again nukes can only be used if they are first used against Russia

And then use the results of their sham referendum to magically expand " Russia" thereby giving it the be excuse to use or threaten to use tactical nuclear weapons.

So, yes. Its a threat.

Is this really not obvious to you?

11 ( +14 / -3 )

Russians have reiterated again and again nukes can only be used if they are first used against Russia or a Russian ally or in the event of an invasion of Russia the Russian armed forces can't stop.

Which could include new territories annexed from Ukraine. So Ukraine retakes the Donbas and Crimea and Russia would launch nuclear weapons to defend these new "Russian territories" that are actually Ukraine lands. That is the worry the world has. Ukraine has every right to liberate stolen land. Russia has no right to nuke Ukraine for doing so.

9 ( +13 / -4 )

If Putin goes nuclear, it's suicidal in motive. He knows it. It can be an obvious disaster for Ukraine and the world, but make no mistake a nuclear attack by him brings down Russia, violently. He is Hitler with nukes. Getting backed into a corner for cowards is a scary thing.

10 ( +13 / -3 )

Just because Putin orders 300,000, don’t mean he’ll get 300,000

Today In Russia, the number one google search was ‘how to leave Russia’.

All Flights out of Russia are sold out.

12 ( +15 / -3 )

One hears that the speech had to be delayed due to Mini-me health issues.

I wish he'd hurry up and get it over with already as his passing would trigger a day of libation. (He's on a short list for whom I will break my dry spell on alcohol.)

7 ( +10 / -3 )

@diego You mean Putin failed to complete his mission, personally I don't think the people of Russia believe in it. This is a one lunatic decision and that is on Putin!

I think that Russia has failed to complete their mission and they are so desperate that they don't even know what excuses to invent!

2 ( +6 / -4 )

3 power hungry countries that contribute to the instability in the world and coercively polarize others- The US, China and Russia.

-16 ( +1 / -17 )

@Cleo, Putin has the football but he is not the only one who has to push the button. There's checks and balance where Putin may say Command the other person press Arm another person has to push Fire. Lets say one of the guys who are in that command refused to do so and feels he is not ready for the end result. I think he will get assassinated before this happens.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

One-way flights out of the country sell out as terrified civilians dreading military call-up try to escape after Putin announced troop mobilisation and threatened to use NUKES - prompting even China to call for a ceasefire.

7 ( +12 / -5 )

Here’s an update from an associate who is in Ukraine helping their military with logistics.

He’s an ex soldier & knows his stuff.

Mass mobilization in Russia would change a lot of things.

The effects of sending more and more badly trained, inexperienced, and unmotivated soldiers to the frontlines are the following:

Most of the “better” Russian units (VDV-paratroopers, Special Forces, Marines, etc.) have already sustained casualty rates of more than 50%. Especially concerning is the death rate among specialists and officers, more than 20%. These units will be unable to absorb an influx of all these new soldiers without suffering a substantial decline in quality.

However, the quality of the Russian Army is already so bad that regular units have proven to possess almost zero combat worth. This is why Russian paratroopers, Marines, and mercenaries have to fight it out on every frontline: the rest of the army is simply not capable to conduct any kind of combat operations.

Sending new troops in such high numbers (Russia’s minister of defense Shoigu spoke of up to 300,000 men) would therefore dramatically decrease the combat efficiency of the Russian military. It would also cause a logistical nightmare.

In addition, more bad soldiers mean even more of them getting killed. This may even result in a complete erosion of morale and a total collapse of the frontlines.

Russia maneuvered itself into a really bad spot: there’s practically nothing they can do to improve their combat performance fast enough to turn the tide of the war in their favor. Another problem they’ll soon have to face is that most of their artillery guns will have their barrels shot out and they are unable to replace them with new ones.

As a result, they’ll need to change their tactics and send even more infantry troops into the meatgrinders. At the same time, Ukraine is getting stronger every day.

Short: Russia’s mass mobilization will speed up its army's decline.

9 ( +13 / -4 )

The Russian stock market crashed.

10 ( +15 / -5 )

Nobody was invading Russia nor were they planning to invade Russia.

Putin's mind is gone. A doctor needs to help him, preferably while he is in a straight jacket and heavily medicated. Or, one of his personal guards could do the world a favor. At this point, with 20K+ dead, either is fine.

Then the world can go back to doing what we all do. Trying to have a better life for ourselves and our families. Right not, Putin it in the way of that.

7 ( +11 / -4 )

The Russian stock market crashed.

Good. Let them reap what they sew.

And people trying to quit the country now are 3rd class passengers on the Titanic. A bit late for that now.

My older one went to school with a duel national Russian boy now in prime military age.

The family was transferred back to Moscow in 16 and have been trying to get their son out of the country since the day after this cluster duck began.

No word if they were successful. He had a UK passport as well but they were having trouble arranging transit and all direct flights are obviously a no-go.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Mini-me trying to look tough. Again.

The little man knows the tide has turned. His troops were unable to "take Kyiv within 72 hours" as initially promised; the brave Ukrainians dug in and protected their sovereign nation fiercely; Ukrainian territory is slowly being taken back - and Russians are running away like the incompetent cowards they always are.

Mini-me is getting desperate and bluffing, his domestic credibility hanging by a thread as word gets around of his disaster in Ukraine. You're not so tough, lil' Mini-me.

4 ( +9 / -5 )

Participants in illegal anti war rallies will no longer be arrested - they’ll be conscripted

2 ( +6 / -4 )

No one in the "West" is threatening to Nuke Russia or use Nukes. The "West" has not invaded Russia. We are aiding a country that has been invaded by Russia. If we invaded Russia I could understand this rhetoric, but he's doing the invading. I know Russia elects a President but come on, Putin is basically a Dictator and this is a shining example of why Dictatorships are dangerous. North Korea, Dictator lead also is constantly talking about nuking their neighbors. Of course, North Korea is allied with Russia... just last month they vowed to expand relations with them.

7 ( +11 / -4 )

Listening to Pooty snarling his menacing lines and lies, I couldn't help but notice the same furrowed brow I'd observed years ago from a leader announcing shock 'n' awe to the world, body language that sends the same signal as Pinocchio's nose.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

So, when the US speculates it will attack Iran, using 'every means necessary' and clarifies that includes nuclear weapons, that isn't threatening, but when Russia says it will respond to attacks, and that nuclear weapons might be part of the response, that's threatening.

Love those different sized yardstick.

-14 ( +7 / -21 )

If Putin wants to bolster his troop numbers, he needs to barricade the airports to stop the exodus. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Or perhaps Mr Puny could don a bullet proof vest and join his comrades in Ukraine and drill them in moving backwards.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

A cornered rat may bite the cat that has chased it. I've posted on another thread that a cornered Putin may resort to using nuclear arsenals to fend off the U.S.-assisted Ukrainian army, thus igniting a world-scale war. A dangerous and worrisome situation, indeed. He has already indicated that his military may use such weapons if needs be.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Side bar that is a discussion to be more fully expounded upon another time; but even as I count myself among his supporters, I think (thought at the time) that Obama took an entirely too soft a stance with regard to these sham “uprisings” and the annexation of Crimea.

Make no mistake, this is Mini-me’s doing and he is wholly responsible for what happens next. But Obama made a bad call to limit things to a slap on the wrist. (To be fair, this was before we realized just how bad the Russian armed forces - all branches - suck. So there’s that.)

You know who advocated a much harder line? One Joseph Biden.

On the up side, the decision to retrain the Ukrainian army along NATO doctrine lines while purging it of cronies, thieves and Putie puppets has proven to be an excellent idea.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

Putin's an idiot. We've all see Russia is weak, weak, and weak. It's all a bluff, trying to look tough, but he already exposed Russia for its weakness.

How many more of Russia's children will have to die for his ego?

8 ( +13 / -5 )

I love the part where he approves a plan to annex massive amounts of another country and then complains about the west threatening Russian territory. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… the only threat to Russian territory is the Putin’s expansionist leadership.

As for nukes, “by any and all means” includes nukes. If it doesn’t, then it means Russia doesn’t have them. We know Russia has them, so yes, this is a threat to use them. I hope Putin goes down before that happens.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

Putin just exposed his end-game. It was never about Ukraine, he wanted to start WWIII with NATO and the west. This is why he is trying to expand his borders against NATO in provocation.

How many of you Russians are prepared to die for his ego?

4 ( +10 / -6 )

One-way flights out of Russia were selling out fast on Wednesday after Putin ordered the immediate call-up of 300,000 reservists.

Putin & Z-cult bandits : "Traitors! They shall be de-nazified with novichok or polonium."

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Don't mess with Lord Putin..

-9 ( +0 / -9 )

rainydaySep. 21  07:51 pm JST

Month 7: Russian Hitler announces mobilization after suffering massive defeat in Kharkiv, threatens Ukraine with nuclear weapons for the 57th time.

Waiting for the Russian Hitler fans to explain how this is still going entirely according to plan.

He's getting desperate now. The sanctions are starting to hit home and smart him. All of a sudden there's 'jumps/tossings from windows'. The Ukraine war isn't going as well as he thought. Seven months in and it's bogged down to an urban guerilla war - taking lives, material, money, morale. Putin is a world pariah now with blood on his hands and mud on his face. And now he's sassing off the mouth, talking trash. Maybe his traitor sputnik trump took lessons from Purin in that field.

MarkToday  03:26 am JST

DesperadOOOOOOOOOOOOO,

Desperate fake cowboy. And he has no friends or true allies in this world.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

This isn't going to go down well back in Russia. The kids don't want to go to war over Putin's pride. And many others will have family and friends with their sons now needing to go to Putin's imperial war on Ukraine.

This is Russia's Viet Nam.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Vladimir Putin announces partial military mobilisation to fight Ukraine war – BBC News

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9t2p3kLE8Y

Vladimir Putin own words......bluff?

Biden responds to Putin threats during UN speech

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSAfggtOXxk

Self explanatory, the question, how will Europe respond?

Clearly Joe Biden has stated an unequivocal response to Putin threats.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

I think it’s inflammatory media to say he “issues a nuclear threat”, if he says he will do whatever is necessary to protect Russia from what he considers Western aggression. Stop trying to scare the world into thinking he actually wants to use nuclear weapons. This has been a ploy of western media since the start of this war.

-10 ( +0 / -10 )

Anti war Protests around Russia have begun already.

the beginning of the end for Putin

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Nobody was invading Russia nor were they planning to invade Russia.

Exactly right.

First I want to say that I think the nuclear threat is a bluff. But ..... Crimea was annexed by Russia in 2014 and in the minds of Vladimir Putin and his allies / enablers / media mouthpieces Crimea is an integral part of Russia proper. Mr. Putin has publicly criticized the USSR for making Crimea part of the former Ukraine SSR. The Ukrainians taking Crimea back is where things get dicey.

Putin said the West was plotting to destroy his country, engaging in "nuclear blackmail" by allegedly discussing the potential use of nuclear weapons against Moscow, 

I have read the same thing in several different media sources and it makes me think that behind the scenes the western allies have been giving the Russians private warnings that using nuclear weapons in Ukraine, or even making certain preparations for a nuclear attack that western ISR assets are designed specifically to detect, could force the western allies to take direct military action to prevent the attack from occurring. As one retired US General pointed out in an interview a few months ago in the US, this is exactly what the F-35 was designed for.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Volodymyr Zelenskiy addresses UN

“Ukraine wants peace. Europe wants peace. The world wants peace. And we have seen who is the only one who wants war. there is only one entity among all UN member states who would say now if he could interrupt my speech that he is happy with this war, with his war,”.......credit Guardian

Ukraine President Zelensky Speech LIVE | Volodymyr Zelensky's Speech At UNGA | United Nations LIVE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_tjDPJ9_c4

The question is what comes next?

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Putin just exposed his end-game. It was never about Ukraine, he wanted to start WWIII with NATO and the west. This is why he is trying to expand his borders against NATO in provocation.

Sigh. I cannot agree. Number one, understand the ideology that drives Mr. Putin and the great majority of Russian politicians, that of Russian World or Russkiy Mir. In their minds anyplace with a Russian speaking population is rightfully part of Russia and that Russia has this duty to bring these places back under Russian control. The adherents to Russkiy Mir do not consider Ukraine, the three Baltic states or Kazakhstan to be true nations. To them their nationhood is illegitimate. Hence they feel entirely justified in using military force to take them back under Russian control.

Number two, Russia greatly underestimated how the western democracies would respond. He expected no response or at worst a muted one. He never imagined them unifying the way they have or that they would impose the sanctions they have imposed, or the willingness to absorb economic disruptions in the name of defending Ukraine, but it is really about defending all of Europe. While you man not understand the implications of Russkiy Mir, many in Europe do.

Number three, Russia also greatly underestimated the will and the ability of the Ukrainians to resist a Russian invasion. He and his closest advisors thought their army would take Kiev in three days and install a pro-Russian puppet along the lines of what happened in Crimea in 2014. Mr. Putin apparently never imagined the Ukrainians learned a hard lesson from 2014 and were not about to let that happen again.

Now Russia has a problem they cannot resolve through military force, but cannot admit this even to themselves.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

I think it’s inflammatory media to say he “issues a nuclear threat”, if he says he will do whatever is necessary to protect Russia from what he considers Western aggression.

Read Mr. Putin's exact words. One does not have to have a degree in International Relations to understand the threat he was making. What you are saying is a denial of the obvious.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Two points:

1) Protests are rising in Russia

2) Putin’s partial draft announcement appears to spark scramble to leave Russia as flights fill up

3) All those mobilized troops need weapons, equipment, and rations. (The importance of logistics in war should never be underestimated).

Russia and China believe they can wars simply with numbers. Big mistake!

5 ( +5 / -0 )

“He also accused the West of risking "nuclear catastrophe," by allowing Ukraine to shell the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power”

While threatening to use nuclear weapons on the West.

He needs to be gone, permanently.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

The West really needs to back off

-12 ( +0 / -12 )

Demonstrations in Moscow against mobilization with hundreds arrested.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

The West really needs to back off

and let Putin steal more and more? No, Putin needs to stop, give back, and stand down.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Transpose "...the ideology that drives Mr. Putin and the great majority of Russian politicians, that of Russian World or Russkiy Mir. In their minds anyplace with a Russian speaking population is rightfully part of Russia and that Russia has this duty to bring these places back under Russian control." into Germany and German speaking peoples of the 1930s and, voilà! - you have Putin unmasked as a bone fide RUSSIAN nazi!

5 ( +5 / -0 )

The West really needs to back off

huh !?

how about Russia getting out of Ukraine !?

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Putin tryin' to front that Russia is powerful, but he's about 6-months too late. We've all seen how weak Russia is. Putin is an idiot, clearly not very intelligent. No wonder he and Trump got along like brothers.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

The mass exodus of fighting-age men has begun from Russia. It's not even remotely surprising that they want to be cannon fodder for Putin's ego. Face it, Putin is such a loser, he can't even lead his country into battle. Weak.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

The West really needs to back off

Back off of what? The only nation to be advancing their borders towards others is Russia.

Russia needs to back off.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites