Vladimir Putin warned that World War III could break out if the West continued to “escalate the situation” in his latest existential threat over the war in Ukraine.
The Russian dictator accused the West of being hostile to the conflict, but stopped short of declaring that World War III was already underway.
“You know, there is no need to scare anyone,” he told a state television reporter, warning: “There are many dangers – they are increasing.”
“And we see that what our enemy is doing today is to aggravate the situation. If they want, let them live badly, let them escalate even more.
“We will always respond to any challenge, always,” he said.
Putin covered up his role in the escalation of the conflict in Europe with the 2022 invasion of Ukraine . Instead, he boasted about his personal role in the “historic” development of the Oreshnik hypersonic missile.
Last week, Putin went so far as to call on the West to “fight with advanced missiles,” suggesting he could warn of an attack with a new experimental weapon to see if Ukraine’s allies can “stop it in time.”
In a speech on Russia-1 television, he called on Western leaders to compromise, saying: “We are ready to seek these compromises, but without harming our interests.”
Speaking about Russia-1, Putin warned that World War III could still break out
He remained defiant in the face of what he called the Western “escalation”
Ukrainian ground forces fire a Leopard 2A4 tank during field training at an undisclosed location in Ukraine, October 27.
In response to Western support for Ukraine, Putin has escalated his rhetoric warning of a potential global war.
Last week, he accused the West of pushing Russia towards its “red lines” and threatened to lift all voluntary restrictions on the deployment of its short- and medium-range missiles if the US went ahead and deployed similar weapons.
Putin, who said Russian forces in Ukraine had taken control of 189 settlements so far this year, said Russia’s nuclear weapons were there for deterrence.
Nikolai Sokov, a former Soviet and Russian diplomat, said at the time that the “red line” was intended to be a “very clear message”: “Make no mistake – all these things can mean nuclear war.”
“I am really concerned about all this idle talk,” he said, with actors in Ukraine dismissing the threats as a bluff.
“We are entering a situation that is completely unknown to us… If you do not consider the risks, you will probably be in for a very unpleasant surprise.”
Putin continues to defy the claim that the so-called “special military operation” in Ukraine was not a mistake, even saying last week that he should have acted sooner.
“Knowing what is happening now, in 2022, I would have thought the decision should have been made earlier,” he said at Thursday’s year-end press conference.
“We should have started preparing for this development and the special military operation earlier.”
A large Russian ammunition depot is on fire in the Rostov region after a Ukrainian attack
British Army soldiers take part in a training exercise near Rovaniemi, beyond the Arctic Circle, on November 19.
Chilling footage shows Vladimir Putin’s new Oreshnik hypersonic superweapon attacking a defense plant in Dnipro, Ukraine, on March 21.
The BBC’s Steve Rosenberg bravely pressed Putin on whether he had achieved his goals as president, saying the war had brought NATO closer to Russia’s borders with the accession of Finland and Sweden.
Putin has resolutely declared that Moscow has “stepped back from the brink” and will lose its “sovereignty” before taking power.
He added that Russia is ready to cooperate with Britain if it is willing.
After affirming his role as president, Putin told Russia-1 that the Oreshnik missile he tested in the Dnieper last month was “a historic event in the field of missiles and space.”
“Nothing like this has happened before. This is the first time this has happened with this type of weapon,” he said.
“How deeply (was I involved)? Yes, very deeply.
He revealed a split in his Defense Ministry over the development of the Oreshnik superweapon.
“Eventually, I joined those who thought it should be produced and gave direct orders for the necessary resources to be allocated,” he said.
Rescue workers respond to the site of a Russian ballistic missile crash in the Holosiivskyi district of the city on December 20, 2024 in Kyiv.
Ukrainian soldiers from the 33rd Brigade operate a Leopard main battle tank in the direction of Kurahov, Ukraine, as the Russian-Ukrainian war continues on April 19.
Ukrainian soldiers fire 2s1 artillery towards Kreminna, Donetsk region, Ukraine, 30
“And he agreed with those who thought it was time to test it in combat conditions.
“So, of course, that’s part of my job.
Putin spoke as a large Russian ammunition depot exploded in the Rostov region following a Ukrainian drone strike.
The facility was located near Russian-occupied Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Putin faces a growing number of his own people who want his war to end.
A new survey by state-controlled research institute VTsIOM shows that if Russians were to write a single wish to Santa Claus, 42 percent of women would ask for an end to the war.
For men, it is 31 percent.
The desire to end the conflict was more than any other desire.
