No one on Earth will survive a nuclear attack on Russia, Putin warns

Ukraine has lost more than 90,000 troops since the start of its counteroffensive in early June, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

 Russia's President Vladimir Putin talks to North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un as they visit the Vostochny Сosmodrome in the far eastern Amur region, Russia, September 13, 2023 (photo credit: SPUTNIK/ARTEM GEODAKYAN/POOL VIA REUTERS)
Russia's President Vladimir Putin talks to North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un as they visit the Vostochny Сosmodrome in the far eastern Amur region, Russia, September 13, 2023
(photo credit: SPUTNIK/ARTEM GEODAKYAN/POOL VIA REUTERS)

President Vladimir Putin said that no one in the world in their right mind would use nuclear weapons against Russia, and that potential enemies knew about Russia's nuclear arsenal.

In response to a question, Putin said he was not ready to declare whether or not Russia needed to resume nuclear weapons testing, saying that "theoretically we could revoke ratification" of the international nuclear test ban treaty.

In a keynote annual speech at the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi, he said Russia had almost completed work on its nuclear-capable Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile system and successfully tested the nuclear-powered nuclear-capable Burevestnik strategic cruise missile.

Ukraine's losses in the war

Ukraine has lost more than 90,000 troops since the start of its counteroffensive in early June, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

Putin also said Kyiv also lost 557 tanks and around 1,900 armored vehicles

 Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Denis Pushilin, Moscow-installed acting leader of the Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine's Donetsk region, in Moscow, Russia August 24, 2023. (credit: SPUTNIK/MIKHAIL KLIMENTYEV/KREMLIN VIA REUTERS)
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Denis Pushilin, Moscow-installed acting leader of the Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine's Donetsk region, in Moscow, Russia August 24, 2023. (credit: SPUTNIK/MIKHAIL KLIMENTYEV/KREMLIN VIA REUTERS)