Russian President Vladimir Putin has made a number of recent threats alluding to his willingness to use nuclear weapons — but should he pull the trigger, his own military might not obey him, according to a former U. S. ambassador to NATO.
That’s because, as Kurt Volker told Mercedes Stephenson in an interview that will appear on The West Block on Sunday, the Russian forces probably know what will happen if they do.
“The United States and NATO have made it very clear to him that any use of nuclear weapons will result in a terrible reprisal. The military is aware of this and agrees,” Volker stated.
“I don’t believe they would deploy a tactical nuclear bomb even if they were given the command, in my opinion. Because they know the consequences on themselves.
” If the Russian forces know the potential ramifications of firing a nuclear weapon, Volker said Putin likely knows that, too — and he “might be cautious about giving an order that’s not followed. ”
Volker’s remarks coincide with Moscow’s recent escalation of its nuclear rhetoric as a tenacious Ukrainian counteroffensive forced Russian forces back in a string of humiliating losses.
Putin erroneously annexed four Ukrainian areas and directed a partial force mobilisation to the territories in an effort to stem the tide of reverses.
As a result, a large number of Russian citizens have left the nation to avoid being conscripted into combat.
Overall, Volker stated that even if Putin “has made it obvious he is going to fight till the end,” “we know he doesn’t have the wherewithal to do it.
They are being forced to retreat. People who don’t want to serve in the military are being forced to.
More individuals left the country than were mobilised when they announced this mobilisation, he claimed.
They are currently experiencing severe economic difficulties as a result of the worldwide sanctions that have been implemented.
But as the battle he initiated in February has progressively forced the Russian president into a corner, Putin has also stepped up his nuclear rhetoric, warning on Sept.
21 that when he says he’s prepared to protect Russia against what he calls “nuclear blackmail” from western powers, he really means it.
U.S. President Joe Biden responded to the remarks by stating that the world now faces the greatest threat of nuclear Armageddon since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.
We have, happily, been very, very far from any nuclear event, so it could be true. I still think now it is very unlikely,” Volker said in response to the increased concerns of nuclear war.
But given that Putin has exhibited illogical behaviour, you cannot state that there is no risk.
Volker claimed that if Putin considered the matter objectively, he would understand that using strategic nuclear weapons would “annihilate” Russia.
It would also render Ukraine, the land he claims to want to absorb into Russia, uninhabitable, Volker said, so in reality the Russian leader has been left with few options.
“Putin is no longer able to seize and maintain territory on the ground.
Forces opposing (him) are being repelled. Therefore, the only thing he can do is launch massive, largely unguided, dumb bombs at Ukrainian cities, murdering civilians, the man stated.
The longer he tries to continue, the worse it is for Russia. This is only going to get worse.
— with files from Global News’ Aaron D’Andrea.
Would the Russian military execute a nuclear order? Ex-U.S. NATO envoy: “Questionable”
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