Putin Spokesman Won’t Rule Out Nuking Ukraine: ‘If It Is an Existential Threat for Our Country, Then it Can be Used’

A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin told CNN on Tuesday that Russia will not rule out using nuclear weapons in Ukraine.

As the war in the country prepares to enter its fifth week, Russia’s advances into key Ukrainian cities have stalled. Putin’s forces are reportedly struggling with low morale, hunger, logistics issues, and even frostbite.

Simultaneously, the Russian people are feeling the squeeze as economic sanctions have isolated the country and crushed its currency.

With most of the world united against a cornered Russia, some have expressed fears that Putin might resort to using nuclear weapons.

CNN’s Christiane Amanpour attempted to ease those fears during an interview with Putin’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov.

Peskov offered no comforting words. He instead said his country will not commit to fighting a conventional war.

“I need to ask you this, because the world is afraid, and I want to know whether Putin intends the world to be afraid of the nuclear option, would he use it?” Amanpour asked.

Peskov claimed that Russia had expressed “concerns” for decades, but the “anti-Russia” West refused to listen.

Amanpour replied:

Look, Ukraine is a country, sovereign. It’s recognized by the United Nations. It’s been around for a very, very long time.  But I just want to know. I want to ask you again, is President Putin–because, again, the Finnish president said to me that when he asked Putin directly about this, because President Putin has laid that card on the label, President Putin said that, if anybody tries to stop him, very bad things will happen. And I want to know whether you are convinced or confident that your boss will not use that option.

Peskov then refused to rule out the use of nuclear weapons.

“Well, we have a concept of domestic security, and, well, it’s public,” he said. “You can read all the reasons for nuclear arms to be used. So, if it is an existential threat for our country, then it can be used, in accordance with our concept.”