Putin's threat: Is Russia ready to use the nuclear option? | To the point

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday ordered that the country's nuclear deterrence forces be put on alert, ratcheting up tensions over the invasion of Ukraine. The decision came after Western leaders agreed to a fresh wave of sanctions on Moscow, including freezing Putin's personal assets and cutting some Russian banks from the SWIFT international payments system. Putin also blamed what he called "aggressive statements" by leading NATO powers.

On TO THE POINT we ask: Putin's threat: Is Russia ready to use the nuclear option?
Our guests: Teri Schultz (DW), Malte Lehming (Tagesspiegel), Vladimir Esipov (DW)

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#Ukraine #Russia #NATO

[molamola]

"Appear to be strong when you're weak and weak when you're strong"
~Sun Tzu, Art of War

[coronavirusisacommunistchi]

His generals looked at Putin like he’s a madman when Putin put Russia on high alert for nukes.

[mkivy]

I haven’t seen anybody raise the assassination question! Don’t you think that when a man threatens a world with nuclear annihilation that he isn’t worth a two dollar bullet? He does in my book!

[matt_canon]

There is a reason why the Soviet Union, nor any nuclear power, never launched a first strike (nuclear attack) since Word War 2, despite all of the Cold War fears that the Soviets would. And its because you can't launch a first strike without being annihilated in the second strike. I remember in the 80s when The Day After aired, and everyone hoped the Soviets would see the movie and learn the lesson. Probably not realizing the Soviets can be trusted to act in the best self-interests...which mutually assured destruction is clearly against... and that the Soviets knew this since the 60s, if not the 50s. -- How is it any different today? 

Even if Putin had the launch codes (he doesn't), or the ability to order a first strike by himself (he doesn't), even he would know the response is not going to be 'more sanctions'. -- The only way I could fathom Russia using a nuclear weapon in Ukraine, or against any enemy country, is the FSB had a foolproof plan to blame am ISIS terror cell, or rogue Chechen element, or claim the Ukrainians did it in a false-flag conspiracy to frame the Russians. -- But that would require a convincing story on how such an element got the nuclear weapon 'elsewhere', and eliminating everyone involved in the planning and execution. Whatever the case, Russia would need absolute plausible deniability. -- Here's my two cents, if there was really a way to use a nuclear weapon against an enemy without equal repercussions, Russia and China (and the US) would have figured it out a long time ago and did it already.

[vlad_sholopak]

As a Ukrainian, I assure Western people that Ukraine will never surrender. We have made our choice of values such as democracy, freedom of speech, fair courts. Now, we pay a terrible price for it!💙💛🇺🇦

[Leo-gllb]

I wish we could live in a world where even when the executives order nukes they wont fire.

[dmitri]

"People are thinking the unthinkable."
Well if we're thinking about it, it isn't that unthinkable, is it?

[zyltch]

If Putin gave the order to 'press the button' the Russian military chain of command would need to consider very carefully their children and grandchildren

[theobserver]

Just the threat should be considered a crime.

[nskaries]

This madness has to end. This is having a bad effect on my blood pressure!!

[nahomentertainment]

This is horrible, My heart goes out to the civilians!!😭💔🇺🇦🙏

[Louis-vkgx]

We thought that he wouldn’t invade Ukraine and now he’s doing it.
We thought that he wouldn’t kill civilians and now he’s doing it.
We thought that he wouldn’t nuke…..
We gotta take this really seriously.

[hawkdsl]

The real question is not will he use them, but will his military allow it. I think when you come down and say shoot the nukes, it changes things on a new level from a command standpoint.

[GhostOnTheHalfShell]

Diplomacy is the art of saying “nice doggy” until you can find a stick.

[secondfirstsecond]

I believe if someone make a nuclear prank video this time will got the perfect reaction from the surrounding. 😂😂😂😂😂

[ambientgamesound]

Lots of innocent lives will be lost, many of them children who don't even know what's going on or involved. I pray for Ukraine and everyone's safety 😔

[oooloo]

The statement "Nukes" and "option" in the same thought process is disturbing.
Nukes are NOT a viable option.
Should not be stated that way. Words matter.

[kwokhowchen]

One thing that really make me curious. They keep reporting Russian Military Casualties keep increasing. What about Ukrainian Military Casualties?

[ogedeh]

The nuclear "option". I don't think I like that kind of rhetoric.

[Balsohard]

5 days and he’s already talking nuclear? Just shows how weak Russia’s military is!!!