Vladimir Putin has again brought up the possibility of using tactical nuclear weapons in his battle with Ukraine. Putin delivered this message in a televised speech last week. He discussed the mobilization of 300,000 reserve troops for deployment in Ukraine. He then threatened to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, throwing out a baseless claim that “the Western countries are provoking him with nuclear blackmail. This time, he added, “This is not a bluff and should be taken seriously.”
The world should take him seriously. He’s feeling the pressure of being cornered, making him an extremely dangerous leader. The war in Ukraine has not gone as planned, as Russian troops have been met with much more resistance than they had intended. Many recent reports indicated that the Russian troops had lost ground to Ukrainian forces. Chances are strong that he will not back down and look for any advantage necessary to claim victory.
Putin has an image to uphold and will not back down regardless of how the Russian people feel. Former CIA case officer Robert Baer shared with CNN that “Putin simply cannot give up so much ground and be seen to be losing and continue as leader of Russia.” He added, “The chances of his using nuclear weapons — at least tactical nuclear weapons — is going up by the day,” A tactical nuclear weapon is different from a strategic nuclear weapon in that the yield is far less destructive. The typical yield for a tactical nuclear weapon is tens or hundreds of kilotons, several times that of those used in the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This gives you an idea of the strength of the smaller yield tactical nuclear weapon.
Russia owns the world’s most extensive nuclear weapons collection, including tactical and strategic warheads. Baer mentioned that he had discussed the situation with several Russian acquaintances, and the consensus was that they felt he would utilize nuclear weapons. Baer was unsure whether any of his contacts were privy to inside information but also mentioned that they agreed that the worse the situation became, the greater the chance he would resort to a nuclear strategy.
State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told a delegation of US reporters that Putin’s “nuclear saber-rattling” and recent troop mobilization are clear signs that things are not going well for the Russian leader.
