Ahmad 
Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed that his country is ready for nuclear war, asserting at the same time that his country will not resort to the use of nuclear weapons unless an existential threat arises.
Putin said in an interview with the IAEA and state television on Wednesday that if the United States conducted nuclear tests, Russia could do the same.
The Russian president noted that his country is militarily and technically prepared for nuclear war, but “not everything is pushing towards it” at the moment.
Putin attributed the U.S. announcement that it does not intend to send troops to Ukraine to its awareness that Russia would consider such a move as an intervention and entry of U.S. troops into Russian territory.
During the interview, Putin stressed his country’s readiness to participate in talks on Ukraine, provided that they are based on facts.
Russian security thwarts an attempt by NATO and Kiev to steal a Russian strategic bomber