Russia is now “very nervous” about the prospect of Ukraine hitting Russian territory with US weapons, it has been claimed.
Vladimir Putin has threatened a nuclear conflict if US soldiers or weapons are used to attack Russian territory, but a former British Army colonel believes this is “bluff and bluster.”
Speaking to Times Radio, Hamish de Bretton-Gordon said: “It shows how Russia is really concerned with how the war is going. If the shackles are off Ukraine with the sophisticated American weaponry…to attack into Russia, you can see Russia is very nervous about this.
“All this bravado with their tactical nuclear weapons is bluff and bluster. Having seen the videos they posted, it showed me an organisation that is unprofessional and showed that the nuclear warheads on their missiles are actually conventional ones.
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“This is an indication that the war is not going as they see fit, and of course, Putin wants to do everything he can to ensure he prevails.”
His comments come amid reports that the US could lift a ban on Ukraine which currently prohibits Kyiv from using US weapons to strike Russian territory.
The New York Times reported this week that there is a debate within the State Department over whether the ban could be lifted.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also told the outlet that Ukraine needs the ability to strike Russian territory to boost its chances of prevailing in the war.
On Friday, Reuters reported that Putin is ready to agree to a freeze in the conflict, citing four Kremlin sources.
A senior Russian source who reportedly worked with Putin and has knowledge of top-level conversations in the Kremlin said:
“Putin can fight for as long as it takes, but Putin is also ready for a ceasefire – to freeze the war.”
But Zelensky has claimed that Putin is “afraid” of what may come from peace talks.
He said: “The world is capable of forcing Russia into peace and into compliance with international security norms. Russia has nothing to oppose the world majority.
“Tell me what those who don’t join are afraid of? They’re afraid of losing something. Afraid of losing even their relationship with today’s Kremlin. That doesn’t help end the war.”
“It’s alarming to see the tension rising between Russia and Ukraine. Vladimir Putin’s threats of nuclear conflict seem like a desperate attempt to deter any potential attacks. The possibility of US weapons reaching Ukrainian hands is definitely making Russia nervous. But all this talk of nuclear weapons feels more like a façade to mask deeper concerns. It’s crucial for world peace that cooler heads prevail and diplomacy finds a solution to this escalating situation.”