Could Putin pull the trigger? Russian president Vladimir Putin has issued a new “warning” to the West. But some say we should no longer take him seriously.
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Russia raises the nuclear stakes
Could Putin pull the trigger? Russian president Vladimir Putin has issued a new "warning" to the West. But some say we should no longer take him seriously.
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On Wednesday, Russian president Vladimir PutinRussia's ruler since 2000. He is a strong opponent of the West. told a group of senior officials that he would change the country's nuclear weaponsA bomb or other weapon that uses nuclear energy to cause a big explosion. policy. He wants to allow RussiaThe largest country in the world by area. It has a population of 144 million people. to use nuclear weapons if attacked by any country using non-nuclear weapons.
He made the threats as UkraineA country in Eastern Europe. It was invaded by Russia in February 2022. continues to hold land in Russia's KurskA city in western Russia. In 2024, Ukrainian forces launched a surprise assault and took over parts of the region, as part of the Russia-Ukraine war which began in 2022. region.
Russia invaded Ukraine more than two years ago, in early 2022. Now Ukraine has taken some Russian land.
But that does not mean that Ukraine is winning. Russia is still taking more land in eastern Ukraine.
Putin also made a threat to western countries that have been supporting Ukraine's army. He said that any nuclear powerNuclear energy is the energy in the nucleus, or core, of an atom - a tiny piece of matter. It can be used to create electricity. supporting another country's attack on Russia would be at risk.
Some think the announcement shows that Putin is issuing bigger and bigger threats. They think the danger is higher than ever.
But others say it is time to start taking less notice of Putin's words. He has made lots of threats before - and not carried them out. They think he simply wants to put western countries off supporting Ukraine.
Could Putin pull the trigger?
Yes! Putin is a madman who wants to destroy the western world. Western leaders must be very, very careful.
No! The West has been crossing Putin's lines for years. He has made many threats - but never carried them out.
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Keywords
Vladimir Putin - Russia's ruler since 2000. He is a strong opponent of the West.
Nuclear weapons - A bomb or other weapon that uses nuclear energy to cause a big explosion.
Russia - The largest country in the world by area. It has a population of 144 million people.
Ukraine - A country in Eastern Europe. It was invaded by Russia in February 2022.
Kursk - A city in western Russia. In 2024, Ukrainian forces launched a surprise assault and took over parts of the region, as part of the Russia-Ukraine war which began in 2022.
Nuclear power - Nuclear energy is the energy in the nucleus, or core, of an atom - a tiny piece of matter. It can be used to create electricity.
Russia raises the nuclear stakes
Doomsday?: President Putin imagined as Dr Strangelove by our illustrator (above) in a reference to the 1964 Cold War comedy film in which an American general goes crazy and nukes Moscow. Glossary
Vladimir Putin - Russia’s ruler since 2000. He is a strong opponent of the West.
Nuclear weapons - A bomb or other weapon that uses nuclear energy to cause a big explosion.
Russia - The largest country in the world by area. It has a population of 144 million people.
Ukraine - A country in Eastern Europe. It was invaded by Russia in February 2022.
Kursk - A city in western Russia. In 2024, Ukrainian forces launched a surprise assault and took over parts of the region, as part of the Russia-Ukraine war which began in 2022.
Nuclear power - Nuclear energy is the energy in the nucleus, or core, of an atom — a tiny piece of matter. It can be used to create electricity.