 "'Hope they will not be required': Putin speaks about nuclear weapons usage in Ukraine war")
Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed that the need to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine had not arisen and that he hopes it will not.
In an interview excerpt broadcast Sunday (May 4) by Russian state television, Putin said he hopes nuclear weapons will not be necessary, despite escalating Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory and continued battlefield stalemates. “There has been no need to use those (nuclear) weapons,” Putin said. “And I hope they will not be required.”
The Russian leader maintained that Moscow has “enough strength and means” to bring the conflict, launched in February 2022, to what he called “a logical conclusion” that aligns with Russia’s goals.
The comments come amid increasing speculation over whether Putin might invoke Russia’s updated nuclear doctrine, which was revised in November 2024 to lower the threshold for nuclear use—even allowing for deployment in response to a conventional attack supported by a nuclear-armed power.
Ceasefire proposals reveal deep divisions
Putin’s remarks were aired just days after he unilaterally declared a 72-hour ceasefire in Ukraine to coincide with Russia’s annual Victory Day commemorations of the Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany. The Kremlin said the pause in hostilities, from May 8 to 10, was declared on humanitarian grounds.
But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy swiftly dismissed the gesture, calling it an attempt to create a “soft atmosphere” for Russia’s domestic celebrations. In comments made Friday and published Saturday, Zelenskyy reiterated his call for a more meaningful 30-day ceasefire, as proposed by the United States.
Diplomatic sources say the divide between Kyiv and Moscow’s approaches to ceasefire talks remains vast. Russia continues to push for a deal that recognises its territorial gains, while Ukraine insists on a full withdrawal of Russian forces and restoration of its 1991 borders.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsDrone warfare escalates as civilians suffer
Even as ceasefire negotiations stagnate, the war’s grinding toll was again felt in the Ukrainian capital, where a Russian drone attack overnight injured 11 people, including two children. Kyiv’s State Emergency Service said the drones caused a fire in a high-rise apartment building in the Obolon district and damaged multiple vehicles.
According to Ukraine’s air force, Russia launched 165 explosive drones and decoys overnight, of which 69 were shot down and another 80 likely lost due to electronic interference. Two ballistic missiles were also fired. Russia, for its part, claimed to have intercepted 13 Ukrainian drones.
An uncertain path ahead
Despite global calls for de-escalation, there is little sign of a breakthrough. The United States has stepped up diplomatic efforts, pushing for a longer ceasefire as a foundation for broader talks, but progress remains elusive.
As one Kyiv resident put it: “They can’t agree on anything, and we are the ones who suffer the consequences.”
With inputs from AP
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