Russia Ukraine war latest update: Is Vladimir Putin planning nuclear attack against Volodymyr Zelenskyy-headed nation after Sunday's drone strikes?

Russia and Ukraine have stepped up the war on the eve of Istanbul peace talks, even as there are apprehensions over whether Sunday's drone attacks deep into the Russian territory could provoke President Vladimir Putin to use nuclear weapons against President Volodymyr Zelenskyy-led country or not. Russia and the United States, by far are the biggest nuclear powers.

The Russian Defence Ministry on Sunday confirmed that five air bases were attacked by Ukrainian drones, damaging an unspecified number of aircraft. Ukraine claimed that it has destroyed about 40 Russian aircraft, including nuclear-capable TU-95 and Tu-22 strategic bombers, in Sunday’s massive drone strikes on Russian bases in an operation prepared by the Ukrainian Security Service - SBU during 11 months.

Russia Ukraine Talks


International Observers speculated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants to pressurise Moscow on the eve of second round of peace talks in Istanbul scheduled for June 2. The Russian delegation led by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medynsky has already reached Turkey for Monday’s talks. However, experts opined that there is little hope of an immediate ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.

Will Vladimir Putin Press Nuclear Button?

That led to the million-dollar question -- will the Russian President take the catastrophic nuclear route? Earlier on May 4, Putin said in comments broadcast that the need to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine had not arisen and that he hopes it will not. In a preview of an interview with Russian state television, published on Telegram, Putin said Russia possessed the strength and the means to bring the conflict in Ukraine to a "logical conclusion."

On May 4, Putin said: "There has been no need to use those (nuclear) weapons ... and I hope they will not be required." "We have enough strength and means to bring what was started in 2022 to a logical conclusion with the outcome Russia requires," he said, AP reported.

Russian Nuclear Strategy

Earlier in November 2024, Putin signed a revamped version of Russia's nuclear doctrine, spelling out the circumstances that allow him to use Moscow's atomic arsenal, the world's largest. That version lowered the bar, giving him that option in response to even a conventional attack backed by a nuclear power, AP reported.

Meanwhile, the United States of America blamed Russia for the collapse of agreements such as the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. The United States formally withdrew from the INF Treaty in 2019, citing Russian violations which Moscow denied. The USA withdrew from the ABM treaty in 2002, Reuters reported.

FAQs

Q1. Who is President of Russia?
A1. President of Russia is Vladimir Putin.

Q2. Who is President of Ukraine?
A2. President of Ukraine is Volodymyr Zelenskyy.