Escalating Conflict: Putin Suggests Future Avoidance of Nuclear Weapons in Ukraine Despite Violence, as Zelenskyy Questions Russian Commitment to Ceasefire Promise
Layin' It Straight:
Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, has shared his thoughts on whether nukes will be dropping in Ukraine anytime soon, and luckily for everyone, he'sexpressing "hope"they won't need to be. In a documentary celebrating his squ squashin' it for a quarter century as president, broadcasted via state television Rossiya 1, Putin said that ol' mother Russia's got the strength and the means to wrap up the three-year-old conflagration sparked by Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, just the way ol' Vlad wants it to.
When asked about Russia's response to Ukrainian attacks on Russian soil, Putin shrugged his shoulders, saying there's been no need to crack open the nukes so far. "And I hope they won't need to," he added, with a smile that seemed to say, "But we could if we wanted to."
This disciplined display of firepower comes just before Putin's unilaterally declared three-day ceasefire — y'know, for celebrating the 80th anniversary of WWII's victory over Nazi Germany. But Moscow wasn't too thrilled about a 30-day ceasefire proposed earlier by Kyiv and Washington back in March. So, here we are.
Ukraine's Perspective:
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's not holdin' his breath, though. On a visit to the Czech Republic, he said he ain't got no faith in Russia sticking to its truce, claimin' it's just another of Putin's dirty tricks. "This is not the first dance, nor the first promises about a ceasefire from Russia," he said, wavin' a report proving Russia's been up to its old tricks of attackin' Ukrainian soil day in and day out. He asked the world to pile on the pressure on Russia.
Petr Pavel, the Czech president and former NATO general, echoed Zelenskyy's sentiments, sayin' Putin could end this thing with a snap of his fingers, but ain't showin' no willingness to do so.
The Struggles Continue:
With both sides stuck on their own ceasefire plans, the tussle between Russia and Ukraine ain't slowin' down anytime soon. Overnight, Russia was reported to have fired two missiles, 165 drones, and 80 decoys at Ukraine, 69 of which were intercepted and the rest likely jammed electronically. Two people were tragically killed in the Sumy region by Russian bombs, and 11 were injured in a drone attack on Kyiv.
In response to Ukraine's attacks on a Russian electrical equipment factory close to the border, Russia's reported to have shot down 13 Ukrainian drones and struck back elsewhere.
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Breaking news: The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, a conflict that started in 2022, continues to escalate, with both sides facing allegations of attacks on each other's territories. In a recent interview, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed skepticism about Russia's commitment to a ceasefire, citing past broken promises and continued aggression. Meanwhile, political tension persists as the world closely monitors the situation, particularly with regards to the threat of nuclear weapons in war-and-conflicts. Stay informed with general news updates from Al Jazeera.
