U.S. Warns Russia of Catastrophic Consequences If It Uses Nuclear Weapons

The United States has warned Russia there will be “catastrophic” consequences if it uses nuclear weapons after setbacks in its war in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin issued renewed threats that he could resort to weapons of mass destruction. On Sunday, officials said that Washington has made it clear to Moscow just how stark a response it would face in the event of a nuclear attack.

Putin has made a string of nuclear threats against Ukraine and the West as a whole since he launched his invasion more than seven months ago.

Putin has made a string of nuclear threats against Ukraine and the West as a whole since he launched his invasion more than seven months ago. Last week, he intensified Russia’s efforts, signaling he was willing to escalate rather than accept battlefield defeat.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he believes the Russian president. “I don’t think he’s bluffing,” Zelenskyy said on Sunday.

Two months into the invasion, Putin’s army withdrew from a costly and ultimately failed assault toward the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. It rather chose to focus its forces in the east of the country where it has supported pro-Russian separatists since 2014.

Recently, Ukraine has mounted a strong fightback in the areas too, causing heavy Russian losses and rare domestic disquiet from pro-war nationalists.

That has seen unknown thousands of Russian civilians rounded up to be sent to the front lines attempting most of them to flee the draft through border crossings and snapping up available flights.