Putin says Russia always ready to use nuclear weapons

In an interview for Kremlin-controlled media on 12 March, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia is "ready" for a nuclear war and “a nuclear weapon in Russia is in constant combat readiness.”

Putin gave the interview with Russia’s RIA state news agency and Rossiya-1 state television before the presidential elections in Russia, which will take place on 15-17 March and likely secure him another six years in power.

Putin said, "From a military-technical point of view, we are, of course, ready.” According to Putin, the US understands that if it deployed troops on Russian territory or to Ukraine, Russia would treat it as an intervention.

He was questioned whether Russia and the US were playing a "game of chicken" that could lead to an inevitable collision. "There are enough specialists in Russian-American relations and strategic restraint (in the United States)," Putin said. "Therefore, I don't think everything is rushing to it (nuclear confrontation), but we are ready for this."

"Weapons exist in order to use them," Putin said. "We have our principles." However, he stated Russia has never faced the need to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, where the conflict has raged since February 2022.

Putin said if the US conducted nuclear tests, Russia might do the same. "It's not necessary ... we still need to think about it, but I don't rule out that we can do the same."

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