By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday said the world will not forgive any nuclear strike from Russia in the ongoing invasion, warning that President Vladimir Putin will not be able to preserve his life if such attempt is made in Kyiv.
Putin had cautioned that Moscow won’t hesitate to use nuclear weapons to ward off Ukraine’s attempt to reclaim control of Moscow-occupied areas.
Zelenskyy while addressing the Lowy Institute international think tank in Sydney virtually after Ukraine’s military retook ground illegally annexed by Russia last weeks, insists that Putin understands the consequences of his threat.
He said Putin is aware that the “world will never forgive” a Russian nuclear strike.
“He understands that after the use of nuclear weapons he would be unable any more to preserve, so to speak, his life, and I’m confident of that,” Zelensky said.
When asked if the risk of Russia using nuclear weapons had risen after Ukraine retook the illegally annexed territories from Russia, Zelenskyy said through an interpreter: “It’s hard to say.”
He remains confident his Russian counterpart would not survive such as escalation in hostilities.
He questioned whether Putin had enough control over the Russian campaign to direct a tactical nuclear strike.
The Russians found it “hard to control everything that is happening in their country, just as they’re not controlling everything they have on the battlefield,” Zelenskyy said.
