Putin Says Russia Had No Need to Use Nuclear Weapons in Ukraine Military Operation
11:15 04.05.2025 (Updated: 15:03 04.05.2025)
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The interview is included in a documentary film entitled "Russia. The Kremlin. Putin. 25 Years" due to be out on Sunday evening on Rossiya TV channel.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia had no need to use nuclear weapons during its military operation in Ukraine, adding that he hoped that such need would not arise in the future.
"There was no need to use the weapons you just mentioned [nuclear weapons]. And I hope it will not be necessary," Putin said in an interview with Russian journalist Pavel Zarubin.
Russia remains calm during the military operation because there were attempts to provoke Moscow into making mistakes, the president added.
"We have enough forces and resources to bring what we started in 2022 to its logical conclusion with the result Russia needs," Putin said.
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/ Furthermore, the Russian leader stressed that Moscow did not prepare specifically for the military operation in Ukraine, but rather sought to solve the Donbass issue peacefully.
"We did not prepare for it specifically. We sincerely sought to solve the problem of Donbass by peaceful means. But it turned out that the other side thought and acted differently," Putin explained
At the same time, the president noted that launching a military operation in 2014 was unrealistic.
"In 2014, it was almost unrealistic. The country was not ready for such a frontal confrontation with the entire collective West," Putin said.
Putin said that Russia signed the Minsk agreements on the Ukraine conflict settlement because it hoped that they would be observed.
"And we could not start taking any drastic actions without carrying out the appropriate work in the sphere of security, in the sphere of development of the armed forces and in the sphere of economy and finance," the president said.
Putin has said that he does not feel like a politician who shapes the destiny of the country, adding that he continues to “breathe the same air as millions of Russian citizens.”
“It's been 25 years since I've been both president and prime minister. I don't even know if I should say it, but on the other hand, it is important. I have the feeling that I do not feel like a politician who sits and shapes the fate of his country or does something even greater. It comes from my family, from the environment in which I grew up — I continue to breathe the same air as millions of Russian citizens. It's very important, God willing, that this continues for as long as possible or, what is even better, does not disappear at all,” Putin told the journalist.
Russia's Reconciliation With Ukraine Inevitable
"I believe that it is inevitable, despite the tragedy that we are facing now ... This is a matter of time," Putin said.
Russia was forced to make a decision to support residents of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, as any other behavior would mean leaving them to be "torn apart," he added.
"We were simply forced in 2014 to make a decision to support Crimea and Sevastopol residents. Because another way of behaving would have meant giving them up to be torn apart," the president argued.
Russia made the right decision in 2014 when it supported Crimea and Sevastopol, although that time was fraught with challenges and sanctions, he stated.
"But 2014, I assumed that it would undoubtedly involve some serious difficulties. That is how it turned out, and the sanctions started immediately, in 2014. And I think we did the right thing by doing what we did then," the Russian leader assured.
US Openly Says West in State of Existential War With Russia
"What is happening now? Both the West recognizes it, and now in the US, they are talking about it, they are saying directly: we are in a state of existential war with Russia," Putin said.
Russia is now alone in confronting the entire collective West, the president added.
"Russia is in fact confronting the entire collective West alone. This required a serious approach to the possible development of the situation in such a way," Putin said.
Russia needs to make decisions in a timely manner and carefully prepare for any serious step, and this is particularly urgent right now, he added.
"That is always the case. And now, perhaps, it sounds especially important. Namely, it is necessary to make decisions in a timely manner and carefully prepare for any serious step," Putin said, when asked about what conclusions should Russia draw from the past difficult years to move forward.
Russia Will Cease to Exist Without Relying on Its Traditional Values
"I simply proceeded from the premise that if we do not rely on our traditional values, we simply will not exist. Russia would simply lose its identity," Putin said when asked why he said he was defending traditional values as opposed to the "Western mainstream."
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