-We cannot completely ignore the danger

Moscow begins a new nuclear exercise, and Vladimir Putin threatens to change Russian nuclear policy and will produce more modern nuclear weapons.

Thursday 13 June at 01:10

A military expert still does not believe that the Russian president is close to using nuclear weapons.

– Putin threatens nuclear weapons so that the West makes decisions in favor of Russia, Joachim Pasikevi of the Swedish Academy of Science and Technology tells VG.

– He believes that the threats are used as political pressure against the West.

• On Tuesday, the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the holding of a new nuclear exercise, this time in cooperation with Belarus Izvestia.
• Vladimir Putin said at an economic forum in St. Petersburg last week that Russia would use all weapons to defend itself if its borders were threatened, according to reports. RIA Novosti.
• On Wednesday, Putin praised the Sevmash military factory for developing a new generation of nuclear submarines RIA Novosti.

The West believes that Russia will never use such weapons, but Russia can use all means to defend itself if our sovereignty and territorial integrity are threatened, Putin said in St. Petersburg.

to life.ru Russian politician Amir Khamitov says, “NATO did not expect Russian maneuvers with tactical nuclear weapons.”

Joachim Pasikevi believes there is little new in Russian threats surrounding nuclear weapons:

We cannot completely ignore the danger, because nuclear weapons exist. But at the same time, the threshold for their use is high. You can't use nuclear weapons “just a little.” This means that the threat to use nuclear weapons is first and foremost a political weapon.

He says Putin has consistently talked about using nuclear weapons if there is an “existential risk” to Russia.

– As soon as there is talk about something concrete, he withdraws it. When Ukraine was allowed to use US weapons to Russia to some extent, there was no “existential” threat to Russia.

– Why are they conducting nuclear exercises now?

– Putin will constantly remind us that they have nuclear weapons, and that we must formulate our decisions accordingly. Russia has had a lot of success with this.

Is the risk too great that Russia will use nuclear weapons now?

– no I do not think so. I don't think the risk is greater now. They themselves stress that Russia must be the subject of an “existential threat” if it is to be relevant. Putin realizes that there will be dire consequences if he uses nuclear weapons.

– The United States has been clear about this. Even earlier, Xi Jinping in China and Modi in India also said the same. If Russia loses support from China, it will lead to political collapse. China holds Russia under its arms now. Pasekivi believes that India will also target the Russians if they use nuclear weapons, as it is not an acceptable weapon in the world.

Vladimir Putin claimed in St. Petersburg last week that it is not Russia that is promoting its nuclear weapons. The president believes that this rhetoric always comes from the West.

At an event in the Kremlin on Wednesday, Putin praised Russian military industries for producing modern weapons. However, Joachim Pasikevi wasn't too impressed:

-There is nothing particularly fancy or notable new. Their level is not impressive. The Swedish expert believes that the most important weapon the Russians use against the West is the information attack that continues all the time.

The Belarusian General Staff said, according to the Belarusian News Agency Belsat The Russians have moved the Iskander missiles to the planned locations and that the ammunition is in place.

– Lukashenko believes that this is his weapon, but it may be under Putin's control, Pasekivi says.

While Lukashenko and Belarus remain loyal to Moscow, the situation is different with Armenia, which is also a former Soviet republic.

Armenia will withdraw from the Russian military alliance. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan accuses the Moscow-led coalition of not fulfilling its obligations, he writes POLITICO.