Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the world must be prepared for the possibility of Russia attacking Ukraine with tactical nuclear weapons.
In an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper published on Friday, Zelenskyy said Russian President Vladimir Putin could use either nuclear or chemical weapons at some point during the ongoing war in Ukraine.
"We should think — not be afraid, not be afraid — but be ready," Zelenskyy said. "But that is not a question for Ukraine, not only for Ukraine but for all the world, I think."
Zelenskyy said Ukrainian lives don't matter to Putin, which could prompt him to launch such an attack.
Just days after Russia's February 24 invasion of Ukraine, Putin ordered Russia's nuclear deterrent forces on high alert, blaming NATO and Western sanctions. The move prompted immediate backlash from the international community.
Last month, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia would use nuclear weapons only if it felt as though its existence was threatened by the West.
In response, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called out Russia for "nuclear saber-rattling," and slammed Moscow for "contradicting" its past statement about wanting to avoid nuclear conflict.
Tactical nuclear weapons, also known as battlfield nukes, are designed to be used on a smaller scale, on the battlefield or for a limited strike. The warheads can be fitted to cruise missiles, torpedoes, or bombs to obliterate a bunker, naval base, or air defenses.
Since the Cold War, both Russia and the United States have decreased their nuclear arsenal, but it's estimated that Russia still has 2,000 tactical nukes – far and away the world's largest low-yield arsenal – while the U.S. has around 200.
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