Hopeful reduction of necessity for employing nuclear weapons in Ukraine, per Putin's statements
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Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, declares that the use of nuclear weapons in the ongoing Ukraine conflict has not been necessary and hopes it won't be. During an interview with Russian state television, scheduled for release soon, Putin stated that Russia possesses the strength and resources to bring the Ukraine conflict to a satisfactory conclusion.
In response to questions about Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory, Putin replied, "No need for those (nuclear) weapons yet... I hope it won't come to that." He further asserted, "We've got the clout and the means to wrap up this mess started in 2022 in a way that serves Russia's interests."
Putin officially signed an updated version of Russia's nuclear doctrine in 2024, which outlines the circumstances under which he can deploy Moscow's substantial atomic arsenal, the world's largest. This revised doctrine lowers the threshold, allowing him to employ nuclear arms in response to even a conventional attack by a nuclear power.
Tensions between Russia and Ukraine persist over competing ceasefire proposals. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed skepticism regarding Russia's proposed 72-hour ceasefire for Victory Day in World War II, denoting it as an effort to craft a "favorable atmosphere" before Russia's annual celebrations. Instead, Zelenskyy renewed calls for a more comprehensive 30-day pause in hostilities, as initially proposed by the U.S. He suggested that this ceasefire could begin whenever, as a significant milestone toward ending the war.
Putin enforced a 72-hour ceasefire in Ukraine to coincide with Victory Day in World War II on May 8, 2025. As the U.S. pushes for a settlement to end the 3-year-old conflict, the Kremlin argues the truce, issued for "humanitarian reasons," would run from May 8 through May 10 to honor Russia's defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945 - a significant secular holiday.
The previous night, a Russian drone attack struck the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, injuring 11 people, including two children. One resident, Valentyna Fesiuk, shared her experience, "I was sound asleep when the building shook at 12:30. An apartment on the 12th floor caught fire." Viacheslav Khotab, another resident, had their car destroyed in the attack. The 54-year-old Khotab expressed frustration with the stagnant peace negotiations, believing, "They can't agree on anything, and we're the ones who suffer as a result."
Daryna Kravchuk, an 18-year-old student in the area, described her experience: "Five to six minutes after the air raid began, we heard a powerful impact, everything started shaking. ... There were three strikes almost in a row after the air raid was activated." Kravchuk expressed her continued distress, "It's terrifying to witness; we've been enduring this for so long. People are just suffering all the time... It's still very tough to see our country constantly being ravaged."
A fatal attack occurred on May 7, 2025, when a Russian guided bomb struck a village in Ukraine's northeastern Sumy region. One person was killed in the incident. In total, Russian forces launched 165 exploding drones and decoys overnight, with 69 intercepted and 80 likely neutralized through electronic jamming. Russia also fired two ballistic missiles. Russian air defenses claimed to have shot down 13 Ukrainian drones during the same period.
- The ongoing Ukraine conflict, originally started in 2022, was mentioned in the interview of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who stated that Russia has the resources to conclude it satisfactorily, thus avoiding nuclear weapons.
- In the revamped Russian nuclear doctrine signed by Putin in 2024, the threshold for deploying atomic weapons was lowered, allowing him to respond to a conventional attack by a nuclear power.
- Despite Putin's enforced 72-hour ceasefire in Ukraine in May 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy renewed calls for a more comprehensive 30-day pause in hostilities, as initially proposed by the U.S.
- The general news and politics continue to cover the lasting effects of the war-and-conflicts in Ukraine, such as the drone attack on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, that injured 11 people, including two children.
- News from Toronto might feature discussions on the ongoing tension between Russia and Ukraine, as international leaders push for a settlement to end the 3-year-old conflict, while some residents express frustration with the stagnant peace negotiations.
