FSB letters reveal Putin will not use nuclear weapons in Ukraine amid ongoing war: Report

The publication Newsweek claims it has seen an email from a FSB (Russian intelligence) agent, in which the FSB agent alludes that Vladimir Putin will not use nuclear weapons in the Russia-Ukraine war. The email was reportedly sent to Vladimir Osechkin, who is a human rights activist in Russia. The email suggests that if Putin were to decide that use of nuclear weapons will serve Russia's interests, he will be blocked by other people within the Kremlin. 

The FSB agent reportedly writes that there is no single one red button that controls Russia's nuclear arsenal, many people are part of the chain of command and if Putin decides to launch a nuclear strike on Ukraine, "someone will refuse". "I don't believe that Putin will press the red button to destroy the entire world. First, it's not one person that decides, and someone will refuse. There are lots of people there and there is no single 'red' button'," the supposed FSB agent writes in the email. The email in question also expresses doubt about the effectiveness of Russia's nuclear weapons. 

Email questions effectiveness of Russia's nuclear weapons 

The email expresses skepticism and mentions that it is not clear if Russia's nuclear weapons function properly. The email even questions if the data disclosed by Russia is accurate. The email goes on to mention that plutonium fuel has to be changed in 10 year intervals, alluding that the nuclear weapons arsenal is not maintained in the way it should be maintained. This supposed KGB agent states that Putin fears for his own life and will not order a nuclear strike because it will pose a risk to his own life. "Third, and this is the most disgusting and sad, I personally do not believe in Putin's will to sacrifice himself when he does not even allow his closest ministers and advisers to be in his vicinity," the email reads. 

Although Putin has mentioned nuclear weapons as a rhetorical tool in some of his speeches, when questioned about it in a conference, he replied by saying they will not help Russia attain its tactical or strategic goals. These emails from the supposed FSB agent were disclosed by Igor Sushko, the executive director of the Wind of Change Research Group, a Washington-based non-profit organisation. At this time, it is not possible to verify if the emails were indeed written by a FSB agent. However, according to the Newsweek report, a FSB expert named Christo Grozev examined the emails and concluded that they were written by a FSB agent. If that is the case, it gives an insight into what some people in Russian intelligence are thinking.