Horror warning as Putin could use nuclear weapons if he thinks he’s losing

Vladimir Putin may launch a tactical nuclear weapon in Ukraine if his troops are defeated by President Zelensky’s forces, according to the secretary of Kyiv’s national security council.

After being asked about circumstances in which he believed Russia may make a tactical nuclear strike, Oleksandr Lytvynenko told The Times: “We can’t rule out anything, if Russia is on the verge of a catastrophic defeat.”

His remarks came as G7 leaders met in Italy, warning that any use of chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapons by Putin would spark “severe consequences”.

Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin has made multiple nuclear threats. Thus far, Western officials have claimed Russia is bluffing, meanwhile even Putin’s ally China has said nuclear escalation is unacceptable.

The event of a Ukrainian victory, which could precipitate desertions from the Russian military and protests in Moscow, may push Putin to press the nuclear button.

Lytvynenko maintained that so long as Russia had the advantage in the war, Putin would deploy any nuclear weapon.

A tactical nuclear weapon is far less destructive than a full-scale nuclear bomb, thanks to a substantially lower yield. That said, a nuclear strike of any kind hasn’t been seen since the 1945 bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Despite noting the possibility, Lytvynenko said it was unlikely that Putin would launch strategic nuclear weapons, as doing so would almost certainly mark the start of World War Three.

He told the outlet: “He [Putin] wants to live.”

He added that even a Russian defeat on the battlefield would not necessitate a radical and dangerous response from the Kremlin, as Putin could attempt to spin the defeat into a victory for domestic audiences.

Lytvynenko explained that Moscow could paint a loss as a “victory” due to its grip on state media.