Russia has not ‘gone mad’ over nuclear weapons – but Putin won’t rule out first strike
Vladimir Putin has said “we haven’t gone mad” when asked about concerns he could use nuclear weapons in Ukraine – but didn’t rule out a possible first-strike if threatened.
The Russian president described the weapons as a deterrent, but reiterated his country would use “all the means at our disposal” to defend its interests if “peaceful means” were to fail.
It is the latest in a number of statements since the start of the war in which he has kept open the nuclear option.
Ukraine war latest: Belarus moves military gear after Kyiv’s warnings it could join fighting
“We haven’t gone mad. We fully understand what nuclear weapons are,” Mr Putin told a member of the presidential Human Rights Council in televised comments.
“We have them, and they are more advanced and state-of-the-art than what any other nuclear power have,” he said.
“We aren’t going to brandish those weapons like a razor running around the world, but we naturally proceed from their existence.
“It’s a factor of deterrence, not a factor provoking an escalation of the conflict.”
The president none-the-less declined to rule out a theoretical first-strike, claiming it could stop Russia defending itself.
The president spoke of a ‘long process’ in Ukraine, suggesting no prospect of an imminent end to the war
He said Russia had a “launch on warning” doctrine, whereby Russia would fire nuclear weapons if targeted by an imminent nuclear attack – or by a conventional attack that threatened its existence.
“If it doesn’t use it first under any circumstances, it means that it won’t be the second to use it either, because the possibility of using it in case of a nuclear strike on our territory will be sharply limited,” the president said.
Many Western countries have previously criticised Mr Putin’s nuclear comments as dangerous.
However, he claimed on Wednesday he had been provoked by former UK prime minister Liz Truss when she spoke about her own readiness to use nuclear weapons.
He appeared to be referring to comments by Ms Truss in August in which she told a Tory hustings event she would be “ready” to use WMDs if necessary.
“I had to emphasise certain things in response,” said Mr Putin.
“Her comments went largely unnoticed, but they immediately emphasised our statements and used them to scare the world.”
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His remarks echoed ones from October, when he said Ms Truss was “a bit out of it” when she raised concerns over Russia’s nuclear capability in a UN speech.
Mr Putin also spoke about the status of the Ukraine war, where it has lost significant ground in recent months, and admitted it would likely be a “long process” – suggesting Russia has no plans to abandon the conflict any time soon.
He also tried to put to rest rumours of a second mobilisation next year, saying there was no need to conduct an additional call-up.
The Russian president said that of the 300,000 reservists drafted, about half had been sent to the zone of what Moscow calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine.
Some 77,000 were in combat units and the rest were performing defensive functions, he said.
Rumours have been growing among Russian opposition politicians and prominent pro-war Telegram channels of a second wave early next year.
World
US blocks Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and 80 other officials from United Nations’ annual meeting in New York
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and 80 other officials have been blocked from attending September’s annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio has revoked the US visas of delegates from the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), and denied others from applying for one.
It is the latest step by Donald Trump’s administration to target Palestinians with visa restrictions, and follows the suspension of a programme to allow injured children from Gaza to receive treatment in the US.
Mahmoud Abbas addressed the general assembly in 2024, but is barred from next month’s meeting. Pic: Reuters
“It is in our national security interests to hold the PLO and PA accountable for not complying with their commitments, and for undermining the prospects for peace,” a statement from the US State Department said.
It added that, to be considered partners for peace, both groups “must consistently repudiate terrorism, and end incitement to terrorism in education, as required by US law and as promised by the PLO”.
Offensive will cause ‘intolerable deaths’
Several US allies, including France, Malta, and Australia have announced plans to recognise Palestine as a state at September’s United Nations General Assembly. Canada and the UK will too, unless Israel meets certain conditions.
Israel declared Gaza’s largest city a dangerous combat zone on Friday.
The army launched a planned offensive that has drawn international condemnation.
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Thick smoke rises from Gaza City after Israeli strikes
Foreign ministers from Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovenia and Spain released a joint statement saying the military operations in Gaza City will cause “intolerable deaths of innocent Palestinian civilians”.
Gaza latest: Israel’s Gaza City offensive condemned
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are sheltering in Gaza City while enduring famine.
An Israeli armoured vehicle in northern Gaza on Friday. Pic: AP
Palestinians ride a truck carrying humanitarian aid in Gaza City. Pic: AP
The Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations (UN), Riyad Mansour, said Mr Abbas had planned to lead the delegation to the UN meetings and was expected to address the general assembly at the general debate, which begins on 23 September.
He was also expected to attend a high-level meeting co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia on 22 September about a two-state solution, a broad idea involving Israel coexisting with an independent Palestinian state.
The State of Palestine is an observer member of the UN, meaning it can speak at meetings but not vote on resolutions.
The State of Palestine cannot vote on UN resolutions. Pic: AP
US decision ‘contravenes international law’
The Palestinian Authority “expressed its deep regret and astonishment” at the visa decision, calling it “a violation of US commitments” as the host of the UN, and claiming it “contravenes international law”.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the world body would be seeking clarification in the “hope that this will be resolved”.
Hundreds of diplomats left when Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu began speaking at the general assembly in 2024. Pic: Reuters
The State Department said that the Palestinian Authority’s mission to the UN, comprising officials who are permanently based there, would not be included in the restrictions.
Under a 1947 UN agreement, the US is generally required to allow access for foreign diplomats to the UN in New York.
But Washington has said it can deny visas for security, extremism and foreign policy reasons.
Read more from Sky News:
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Hospitals ‘overwhelmed’ by malnutrition cases
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The death toll in Gaza has now risen to 63,025, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
It also reported five more malnutrition-related deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number during the war to 322, with 121 of them children.
World
Brazil implores businesses to attend major climate summit, despite ‘second thoughts’ amid Trump backlash
The Brazilian hosts of the biggest climate meeting of the year have implored businesses to attend in November, amid concerns some are backing away from the climate agenda into the shadow of Donald Trump.
In an interview with Sky News, Ana Toni, chief executive of the COP30 climate summit in November, admitted some companies were having “second thoughts” about the global switch to green economies because policymakers were creating uncertainty.
The US President Donald Trump has been attacking wind farms and waging tariff wars that could slow the transition to green energy.
Banks including HSBC and Barclays have ditched a net zero alliance set up just four years ago by Mark Carney, now the Canadian Prime Minister.
Ana Toni, Brazil’s climate secretary, is chief executive of the COP30 climate talks. Pic: Reuters
But even before Trump took office, tech companies were quietly dropping climate targets to prioritise energy-hungry AI, and other businesses were “greenhushing” their climate initiatives for fear of backlash.
In this environment, there are fears fewer business leaders will attend the annual talks, which are also being hosted in a city on the edge of the Amazon that hasn’t enough hotel rooms.
On Friday, the COP30 team wrote to business leaders urging them to “step forward, not back” and travel to Belem, despite “logistical challenges” and the “background of systemic uncertainty”.
Ana Toni told Sky News: “We are very concerned that the enabling conditions must be there so that the private sector can also deliver where they do best, which is bringing in technology, bringing innovation and accelerating the process of decarbonisation.”
In August the share price of Danish wind farm developer plummeted after the US halted its Rhode Island wind farm, while the British Tories and Reform parties are also attacking net zero.
Ana Toni met with King Charles and leaders of other COP summits at Clarence House last year. Pic: Reuters
But Ms Toni there is “nothing to panic [about], because we can see that the transition is inevitable,” citing major progress in China, India and Europe and Brazil.
Referring to the US’s withdrawal from the COP process, she said: “198 countries minus one is not zero. And we will put all our efforts of working with the 197 countries that want to go forward and want to protect their population.”
“Climate action is not only [still] cool, it is necessary,” Ms Toni said.
“We all need to face reality. We are going through a huge climate crisis… If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. Companies understand that.”
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