President Putin could order the use of a tactical nuclear weapon if Russia’s army is routed in Ukraine, the head of Kyiv’s national security council has told The Times.
Oleksandr Lytvynenko’s comments came after G7 leaders warned at a summit in Italy that any use of chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapons by Russia would be met with “severe consequences”.
Russian officials have made frequent threats to launch nuclear weapons at Ukraine or western countries since Putin invaded in 2022. The frequency of the threats has dulled their impact, however, and some officials in the West have said that Putin is bluffing in an attempt to intimidate Kyiv’s allies. China has also said that any nuclear escalation in the conflict is unacceptable.
However, when asked