London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jun 23, 2025

Using Nuclear Weapons In Ukraine "Makes No Sense At All To Us": Vladimir Putin

Using Nuclear Weapons In Ukraine "Makes No Sense At All To Us": Vladimir Putin

Over the past week, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has repeated the claims regarding a Ukrainian dirty bomb in conversations with his counterparts in France, the US, the UK, China and India.

The world is probably entering the "most dangerous" decade since the end of World War II, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Thursday, presenting the Ukraine conflict as part of a wider struggle against western domination.

Arguing that Western dominance in global affairs was coming to an end, Putin insisted Russia was not just challenging the West but fighting for its own right to exist.

Putin was speaking as Ukrainian troops reclaim more territory that Moscow has annexed as its own, and has mobilised more troops to defend.

"Ahead is probably the most dangerous, unpredictable and at the same time important decade since the end of the Second World War," Putin told members of the annual Valdai Discussion Club, in a lengthy question-and-answer session.

The situation was "to a certain extent revolutionary", he said, describing the Ukraine offensive as simply part of the "tectonic shifts of the entire world order".

"The historical period of undivided dominance of the West in world affairs is coming to an end," said Putin. "The unipolar world is becoming a thing of the past.

While the West was still "desperately" trying to govern humanity, it was not able to. "Most peoples of the world no longer want to put up with it," he said.

And the Russian president characterised the current crisis as a battle for survival for Russia.

"Russia is not challenging the elites of the West, Russia is just trying to defend its right to exist," he said.

'Dirty bomb' row


Putin also returned to the row over Russian allegations that Ukraine was preparing to use a "dirty bomb" against its soldiers.

Kyiv was "doing everything to cover up traces of this preparation" for such a bomb, he said.

On Monday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), responding to the allegations, said it regularly visited two sites that Moscow had raised questions over.

The UN agency's inspectors had found nothing untoward and were preparing to visit again in the coming days, the statement added.

"We are in favour," said Putin. "And it should be done as fast as possible."

A dirty bomb is a conventional bomb laced with radioactive, biological or chemical materials which are disseminated in an explosion.

Over the past week, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has repeated the claims regarding a Ukrainian dirty bomb in conversations with his counterparts in France, the US, the UK, China and India.

France, the US and the UK have all rejected the claim, and NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has warned that Russia might be trying to use the claim as a "pretext" for escalation.

Kyiv meanwhile, has said it suspects Russia might itself use a dirty bomb in a "false flag" attack.

But Putin said Thursday using nuclear weapons in Ukraine would "make no sense at all to us -- either in political or military terms".

Stalled talks


Earlier Thursday, the Kremlin said Ukraine had pulled out of peace talks with Moscow back in March on orders from Washington.

"The text was ready... And then suddenly the Ukrainian side went off the radar, the Ukrainian side declared its unwillingness to continue negotiations," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Talks between Kyiv and Moscow have stalled since March, each side blaming the other for the stalemate.

Zelensky on Wednesday dismissed any possibility of talks with Moscow, denouncing Putin's "planned rhetoric". In late September, he said he would not negotiate with Russia as long as Putin was president.

Russia's "special operation" in Ukraine has met with repeated setbacks.

Putin has in recent weeks changed his military commander there after Kyiv's forces launched a counter-offensive, recapturing territory in the east.

Last week, Putin introduced martial law in four Ukrainian regions that he has declared annexed: Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Lugansk.

The annexation announcement came in late September, despite Moscow's forces not controlling some of the regions fully. Most recently, for example, there has been fierce fighting in the eastern region of Donetsk.

Russian-installed authorities in Ukraine's occupied region of Zaporizhzhia on Thursday ordered phone checks on local residents.

Anyone subscribed to "propaganda resources of the terrorist Kyiv regime" would receive a warning, before being fined.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
×