Russia will not use nuclear weapons in Ukraine according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. They would only use such weapons when there is a threat to the country’s existence.
“Any outcome of the operation (in Ukraine), of course, is not a reason for usage of a nuclear weapon,” Peskov said. “We have a security concept that very clearly states that only when there is a threat for existence of the state, in our country, we can use and we will actually use nuclear weapons to eliminate the threat for the existence of our country.”
When asked about US President Joe Biden’s comments calling Vladimir Putin a “butcher” and declaring the Russian President should no longer remain in power, Peskov said “it is quite alarming.”
“It is personal insult,” Peskov said. “Of course, it is completely unacceptable. It is not for the United States’ President to decide who is going to be and who is the president of the Russian Federation.”
According to Russian and Turkish officials, the latest round of Russia-Ukraine talks will take place in person in Istanbul on Tuesday. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed Moscow’s optimism that the summit will “accomplish our essential aims.” Following prior face-to-face conversations in Belarus, the most recent round of talks took place about two weeks ago.
Despite the Ukrainian military, journalists, and refugees fleeing the nation reporting devastating bombardments targeting civilian facilities such as houses, schools, and hospitals, Peskov denied that Russian forces purposefully targeted people in Ukraine in the PBS interview.
“They are not selling houses., they are not shelling apartments. They are not shelling civil objects,” Peskov said. He added, “They are only shelling and they’re aiming of military infrastructure.”