Russian president Putin warns West, says Russia 'ready for nuclear war'

Moscow [Russia], Mar 13: Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia is ready for a nuclear war if the US harms their sovereignty and independence, Russian state media RIA Novosti stated.

Russian President Putin, in an interview with state media, warned the West, stating that Russia is ready for a nuclear war, though he didn't say one was imminent.

He said that the US troops on Russian territory or even Ukraine's territory are "interventionists."

"In the United States, they announced that they were not going to send in troops. We know what American troops on Russian territory are, they are interventionists. We will treat it this way, even if they appear on the territory of Ukraine," Putin said in the interview.

He added, "Besides Biden, there are plenty of other experts in the field of Russian-American relations and in the field of strategic restraint. Therefore, I don't think that everything here is rushing so head-on, but we are ready for it."

Putin said the United States is also developing nuclear forces but that doesn't mean they are ready to "launch a nuclear war tomorrow."

"They are now setting tasks to increase this modernity and innovation, they have a corresponding plan. We know about it too. They are developing all their components. So are we," Putin said.

Putin further stressed that for Russia, it is a matter of life and death, but for them, it is a matter of improving their tactical position in the world and in Europe.

"For us, this is a matter of life and death, but for them, it is a matter of improving their tactical position in general in the world and in Europe in particular, maintaining their status, their status among their allies. This is also important, but not as much as it is for us," he said.

From a military-technical point of view, Russia is ready, Putin said.

"We have our own principles. What they are talking about is that we are ready to use weapons, including any weapons, including the ones you mentioned, if we are talking about the existence of the Russian state, harming our sovereignty and independence. We have everything written down in our strategy; we haven't changed it," he said.

Everything is written down in our strategy; we haven't changed it.

Earlier this month, two senior US administration officials said that in late 2022, the US began "preparing rigorously" for Russia potentially striking Ukraine with a nuclear weapon, as reported by CNN.

The Biden administration was specifically concerned that Russia might use a tactical or battlefield nuclear weapon, the officials said.