Zelenskyy Warns Putin Could Be Serious About Nuclear Threat
(TargetLiberty.org) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned the world not to dismiss Russia’s nuclear saber-rattling. President Vladimir Putin has hinted at using weapons of mass destruction several times since invading Ukraine in February. Zelenskyy doesn’t think he’s bluffing this time.
"I don't think he's bluffing," Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy tells @margbrennan on Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin's threats to use nuclear weapons.
"The world is deterring it and containing this threat. We need to keep putting pressure on him." https://t.co/88luDtfBpu pic.twitter.com/uSfgzyI4vT
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) September 25, 2022
This week, the population of Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine are being forced to vote in referendums on being annexed by Russia. So far, the results are showing nearly 100% support for annexation, probably because voters are being rounded up at gunpoint and Russian officials are counting the votes.
The referendums aren’t a meaningless gesture, though. Once the captured land is part of the Russian Federation, any attempt to liberate it will be, to Putin, an invasion of Russian territory — and for years, Russia has warned that any invasion could meet a nuclear response. On September 21, Putin repeated that warning, and Zelenskyy says there’s a real possibility he means it.
In a September 25 interview, Zelenskyy said, “Maybe yesterday it was a bluff. Now, it could be a reality.” He warned that Putin is trying to “scare the whole world,” and the world has to respond by continuing to oppose Russian aggression.
If Zelenskyy is right about Putin’s nuclear threats, that opposition could be dangerous. But would there be more danger in letting the Russian strongman get away with it?
Copyright 2022, TargetLiberty.org
