Russian President Vladimir Putin may order the use of nuclear tactical weapons if his army is defeated in Ukraine. National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksandr Lytvynenko said this in an interview with The Times , according to UNN .
Details
I do not rule out the possibility that Putin may resort to the use of tactical nuclear weapons. We cannot rule out anything if Russia is on the verge of a catastrophic defeat
According to him, the defeat of the occupation forces could provoke the collapse of the Russian front line, desertion from the army and protests in Moscow.
At the same time, Lytvynenko emphasized that there is no possibility that Putin will deploy nuclear weapons while Russia has the upper hand in the war. Also, NSDC Secretary Lytvynenko doubts that Russia will use strategic nuclear weapons, which would "almost certainly" provoke a third world war.
He (Putin - ed.) wants to live
Addendum
Nevertheless, the NSDC secretary reassured that Russia's defeat on the battlefield in Ukraine would not lead to Moscow's automatic use of nuclear weapons.
Lytvynenko admits that Putin may try to convince his people that this turn of events is actually a "victory.
For reference
Tactical nuclear weapons are intended for use on the battlefield or for limited strikes and have much lower yields than strategic nuclear weapons.
Nuclear weapons have not been used in practice since the American attacks on Japan in 1945.
Recall
Last week, on June 11, the second stage of the exercise of non-strategic nuclear forces started in Russia. At this stage, the Russian and Belarusian militaries are to work out "issues of joint preparation" for the combat use of non-strategic nuclear weapons.