KYIV - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the world should 'prepare' for Russian President Vladimir Putin to use nuclear weapons, but the CIA says that while the U.S. cannot take it 'lightly', it sees 'no practical evidence' that Russia is going to resort to using nuclear weapons.
During an interview with CNN, Zelensky warned that anti-radiation medicine and air raid shelters would be needed and should be prepared in the event that a nuclear strike was carried out on Ukraine.
Zelensky was asked during the interview whether Putin will deploy chemical or nuclear tactical weapons, to which he replied "Not only me – all of the world, all of the countries have to be worried because it can be not real information, but it can be truth".
"Chemical weapons, they should do it, they could do it, for them the life of the people, nothing. That’s why. We should think not be afraid, not be afraid but be ready. But that is not a question for Ukraine, not only for Ukraine but for all the world, I think" he said.
Regarding the possibility of a nuclear strike, Zelensky said "We shouldn’t wait for the moment when Russia decides to use nuclear weapons. We must prepare for that. Anti-radiation medicine and air raid shelters would be needed" and said that Russia "can use any weapon, I’m convinced of it".
CIA Director William Burns claimed last week that Putin is desperate and has seen heavy losses in Ukraine and could resort to nuclear weapons and that the possibility should not be taken lightly.
"Given the potential desperation of President Putin and the Russian leadership, given the setbacks that they’ve faced so far, militarily, none of us can take lightly the threat posed by a potential resort to tactical nuclear weapons or low-yield nuclear weapons," Burns said during a speech at Georgia Tech University.
Burns also said that the Biden Administration is concerned about avoiding a third world war. "We’re obviously very concerned. I know President Biden is deeply concerned about avoiding a third world war, about avoiding a threshold in which, you know, nuclear conflict becomes possible".
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