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When Putin was asked if nuclear war was imminent, he sat silently for several seconds.
Then he turned to the interviewer with a laugh:
– I did that on purpose to scare you. The effect has been achieved.
Vladimir Putin attended an annual hearing at the Russian think tank Valdai on Thursday. The event was broadcast live on Russian television and lasted more than three hours.
In the speech, Putin defended the invasion of Ukraine and launched new attacks against the West. Among other things, he talked about Russia wanting to “defend its right to exist” and accused the Western countries of wanting to dominate the world in a “dangerous, bloody and dirty game”.
– They fuel the war in Ukraine, organize politicians around Taiwan and destabilize the world’s food and energy markets. As for the latter, it has not been done deliberately. This is due to a number of system errors they have committed, he said according to The Guardian’s translation.
Putin: “Most dangerous decade”
Then Putin warned of the coming years.
– We are at a historic crossroads. Before us lies probably the most dangerous, most unpredictable and at the same time most important decade since the end of the Second World War.
The smocks continued to hail. Putin accused Western leaders of “orchestrating colorful revolutions” and foisting on other countries “dozens of gender and gay parades”, writes Reuters.
Even when the nuclear weapons discussion came up, Putin deflected blame.
– We have never knowingly said anything about the possibility of using nuclear weapons for Russia. We have only responded to hints from Western leaders, he said.
He also said, according to Sky News translationthat it would be “pointless” for Russia to use nuclear bombs in Ukraine.
– We see no need for it. There is no reason, neither political nor military.
Putin went on to talk about the Russian nuclear doctrine and that nuclear bombs may only be used defensively. But he at the same time repeated previous Russian statements about defending itself “with all available means”.
“Few things less fun”
At the 2018 Valdai hearing, Putin was asked about the likelihood of a nuclear war. Then he replied that Russia can only launch nuclear bombs if another country has already done so.
Interviewer Fyodor Lukyanov picked up on that thread:
– We were a little worried by your comments at this event four years ago, that “we would all end up in paradise”. We’re in no rush, are we? he said according to a translation by BBC journalist Francis Scarr.
Putin responded with several seconds of silence and looked down at the floor.
– You think. That’s a little alarming in itself, Lukyanov said, smiling.
– I did that on purpose to scare you, Putin said and laughed with his mouth closed.
Then he closed his eyes and continued:
– The effect has been achieved.
Francis Scarr, who monitors various events and statements in the Russian media on a daily basis, shared the exchange on Twitter.
“Few things are less funny than Vladimir Putin trying to joke about nuclear war,” he wrote.