Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has once again resorted to threats of World War III to Western countries if the latter decides on a direct conflict with Russia. This is how Putin wants to scare the Europeans and their governments so that they stop helping Ukraine.
The President of the Russian Federation and his propagandists have repeatedly stated that Russia is technically ready for a nuclear war, and if NATO countries decide to send troops to Ukraine — this will mean an escalation of the war. To this, French President Emmanuel Macron hinted to Putin that there is no need to throw around threats, because France has nuclear weapons, and NATO’s nuclear potential is much greater than Russia’s.
ICTV Facts asked experts what they think about the next statements of the Kremlin dictator.
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Putin threatens World War III
In a commentary to Facts ICTV, Candidate of Political Sciences, Associate Professor at Kyiv National University. T. Shevchenko Igor Reiterovich stated that threats to the world with a possible Third World War — This is a farce, and blackmail, and an attempt to intimidate.
That is, such statements — this is the only trump card that Putin has left.
— It must be understood that the target audience for such statements — these are, first of all, the Russians themselves. Putin broadcasts to his citizens that Russia “is not afraid and is ready to fight with NATO”. Although the Russian dictator and his propagandists have been saying for a long time that the Russian Federation is already seemingly at war with NATO and everything seems to be fine, the situation is, like, under control, says the expert.
Putin hopes that with statements about World War III and nuclear escalation, he will shake the mood primarily among European citizens. And those, frightened, will begin to put pressure on their governments to negotiate with Russia.
However, it can be assumed that the Russian president still allows the targeted use of nuclear weapons in a certain Western territory. Although it is far from certain that he will decide to do so.
Will Putin find allies in a nuclear war?
According to political scientist Igor Reiterovich, it is unlikely that the Russian president will find an ally in, for example, Kim Jong-un. Even if the DPRK has nuclear missiles, it has big problems getting them to the target.
That is, it is not enough just to have a nuclear warhead — you need the appropriate media. And then the question arises: does North Korea have such capabilities.
Local conflict between Russia and NATO is possible
Despite the fact that Putin has made statements about the Third World War more than once, it is unlikely that his next words should be taken seriously, says Igor Reiterovich.
— However, in the future, I think some kind of local conflict between Russia and NATO is possible. But this will be a local conflict, which, by the way, will not last long,” said the political scientist.
Putin wants to create a “sanitary zone” in Ukraine
Vladimir Putin, during a speech at his campaign headquarters on the evening of Sunday, March 17, when asked about the possibility of seizing the Kharkov region, said that Russia would allegedly be forced at some point to create a “sanitary zone& #8221;, to protect your border regions from attacks.
In the commentary to Facts ICTV, Deputy Director of the Ukrainian Center for Army, Conversion and Disarmament Studies Mikhail Samus said that the Russian dictator wants a lot, but will get little.
According to the expert, in order to get something, you need to be able to do something. For example, on February 24, 2022, Putin wanted to take Kyiv and occupy Ukraine in three days. But what came of it — known.
In order to create some kind of “sanitary zone”, the Kremlin dictator needs to abandon the main goals of his so-called special military operation. Putin wanted the actual destruction of Ukraine, its occupation, denazification, demilitarization, and now he wants to create “sanitary zones”, says Mikhail Samus.
— On the other hand, I think that “sanitary areas” will be created precisely on Russian territory, and now they are actually being created. The actions of the RDK (Russian Volunteer Corps) are the creation of “sanitary zones” on the territory of the Russian Federation,” said the expert.
50 km “sanitary zone” in Russia
According to the deputy director of the Ukrainian Center for Army, Conversion and Disarmament Research, at least a 50-kilometer “sanitary zone” should be on the territory of Russia. There should not be a single military installation or unit there.
Putin's statements — this is psychological pressure
Mikhail Samus also recalled how the Russians, since October 2023, tried for months to take the small town of Avdievka, which in the end was simply destroyed, and tens of thousands of their soldiers relied on it. According to him, a normal army does not fight like that.
— Putin mentioned the Kharkov region in his speech there. Well, maybe let him try to take a village first,” says the expert, and notes that such statements by the Kremlin dictator are primarily intended for his own citizens.
And Vladimir Putin also thinks that he will intimidate and force Western politicians to refuse assistance to Ukraine, and push Ukrainians to throw off power and kneel before him.
Mikhail Samus notes that all these words — information and psychological operations of the Russians, to which we respond.
As for threats to the West with World War III, military expert Mikhail Samus noted that let Putin first try to take the small village of Berdichi in the Donetsk region, and only then threaten NATO with World War III.
