Russia will use nuclear weapons if its very existence 'threatened', avers Kremlin amid war

After refusing to rule out the use of nuclear weapons amid Russia-Ukraine war and sparking concerns worldwide, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has clarified that the country would use such arms only if it faces threat to ‘existence’. He clarified that it won't be a result of the ongoing war with Ukraine. The Kremlin spokesperson told PBS Newshour, "Any outcome of the operation (in Ukraine), of course, is not a reason for usage of a nuclear weapon".

Peskov said, "We have a security concept that very clearly states that only when there is a threat for the existence of the state, in our country, we can use and we will actually use nuclear weapons to eliminate the threat for the existence of our country.”

The  Kremlin spokesperson responded to the US President calling his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin a "butcher". While Biden also said that Putin should not remain in power, the Kremlin spokesperson said, "it's quite alarming". The Kremlin spokesperson added, "It is a personal insult...Of course, it is completely unacceptable. It is not for the United States' President to decide who is going to be and who is the president of the Russian Federation.”

Earlier, while speaking in Warsaw, Biden had said that Putin “cannot remain in power” and labelled the Kremlin leader “butcher”. After his remarks about Putin’s regime in Russia, Biden replied only with a simple “no” on Sunday when he was questioned if he meant that the Kremlin should have a new government. In Poland, which was the first NATO nation that Biden visited after the Russia-Ukraine war started, the US President said his opinion of Putin is that the Kremlin leader is a “butcher” and later refused to apologise for the same.

Russia on sanctions imposed on trade: 'Don't push us into the corner'

Noting the recent sanctions imposed on Russia in trade, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told PBS Newshour, "Unfortunately, those conditions, they are quite unfriendly. And they are enemy, enemy-like for us. We entered the phase, the phase of a total war. And we in Russia, we will feel ourselves amongst war, because Western European countries, United States, Canada, Australia, they actually — they actually — they are leading war against us in trade, in economy, in seizing our properties, in seizing our funds, in blocking our financial relations."

"And we have to adapt ourselves to new reality. You have to understand Russia. You have to understand Russia," he said.

Image: AP