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Russian President Vladimir Putin said the Ukraine-Russia conflict would take time and warned of a nuclear war between the two countries.
Putin attended a Human Rights Council meeting in the Kremlin. During the discussion, he stated that Moscow would continue to fight Ukrainian soldiers using all possible tools. He did, however, state that he would not deploy additional armed personnel. Nevertheless, many observers projected that Putin would not abandon the conflict despite minor but critical defeats in some Ukrainian areas.
“With regard to the protracted nature of the special military operation and its results, of course, it’s going to take a while, perhaps,” Putin said.
“As for the idea that Russia wouldn’t use such weapons first under any circumstances. Then it means we wouldn’t be able to be the second to use them either. Because the possibility to do so in case of an attack on our territory would be very limited,” he added.
“Nevertheless, we have a strategy. Namely, as a defense, we consider weapons of mass destruction, nuclear weapons – it is all based around the so-called retaliatory strike. That is, when we are struck, we strike in response.”
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Putin refuses to put out more forces
According to the Russian president, he will refuse to activate other forces. He did, however, emphasize the US’s role in transferring nuclear weapons onto European territory. He contrasted it to Russia not relocating its nuclear weapons to another country, implying that the US decision is unjust. On the other hand, Putin has stated that he will not back down in the event of a nuclear conflict.
“We have not gone crazy. We are aware of what nuclear weapons are. And we have these means. They are in a more advanced and modern form than those of any other nuclear country. This is obvious. But we are not going to brandish these weapons like a razor, running around the world,” he said.
The Russian military forces comprise approximately 300,000 soldiers, many of whom were called up during the partial mobilization months ago. According to Putin, 77,000 of these individuals are presently serving in military formations. Meanwhile, the remainder serves under two factions: defense and training.
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Russia will stay strong
Putin denied all assertions that Russia would cease the conflict quickly. Instead, he stated that the fight would be lengthy. According to experts, Putin may be afraid of losing the battle. However, Putin refuses to acknowledge the things he lost to win the war.
“Since September, I see a lot of changes [in Russia] and a lot of fears,” said Tatiana Stanovara, a Carnegie Endowment for International Peace scholar.
“People begin to consider the worst-case scenario for the first time since the war started. That Russia can lose. And they don’t see and don’t understand how Russia can get out of this conflict without being destroyed. So people grow very anxious,” she added.
“The fact that Russia is still waging this war, despite its apparent defeats in March [when its forces withdrew from Kyiv], indicates that Putin is desperate not to lose,” said Ilya Matveev, a political scientist in St. Petersburg.
