Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Ukraine on Friday that any use of nuclear weapons against Russia would be Kiev’s “last mistake.”
Speaking at the International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, Putin warned that if Ukraine tried to drop a so-called “dirty bomb” on Russian territory, it would trigger a “reflex response” from Moscow.
“This would be a colossal mistake by those we call neo-Nazis operating in today’s Ukraine, perhaps their last,” he said.
Putin noted that Russia’s nuclear doctrine foresees a harsh response to existential threats, adding that the consequences for Kiev would be dire.
“Our response would be extremely harsh, most likely catastrophic, both for the neo-Nazi regime and for Ukraine itself,” he said.
At the same time, Putin acknowledged that Russia currently has no confirmed evidence suggesting that Ukraine is planning to use a dirty bomb.
“Thank God, we have no evidence of such intentions. But we are operating under the assumption that such an idea could occur to some sick mind,” he said.
Putin went on to say that Moscow was establishing a “security zone” along the border with Ukraine in response to repeated attacks on Russian territory and the recent incursion into the Kursk region.
Putin said the depth of this buffer zone could be eight to 12 kilometers, and noted that Russia could potentially capture the city of Sumy, a regional center in northeastern Ukraine.
“The depth is about 10 to 12 kilometers, sometimes eight, sometimes 12. Behind that lies the city of Sumy. Its capture is not our task, but I do not rule it out,” he said.
Asked how far Russia intends to advance in Ukraine, Putin said he believes that the Russian and Ukrainian people are one nation and in this sense “the whole of Ukraine is ours.”
“Wherever a Russian soldier sets foot, it is ours,” the Russian president said.
