Putin Warns: Russia-NATO Tensions Could Precipitate World War III

Defense News ,Russia ,NATO :-  Russian President Vladimir Putin cautioned the Western powers about the possibility of a full-scale World War III if direct conflict arises between Russia and the NATO alliance, led by the US. He emphasized this point during a recent statement reported by TASS.

Putin stressed that while such a conflict is feasible in the modern world, it would be perilously close to triggering a global war. He also remarked that it's improbable that anyone desires such a catastrophic outcome.

The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has strained relations between Moscow and the West to an extent not seen since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. Despite highlighting the dangers of nuclear warfare, Putin asserted that he has never considered deploying nuclear weapons in Ukraine.

During a press conference after securing victory in the Russian presidential elections, Putin acknowledged the potential for future direct conflict between Russia and NATO. However, he expressed the belief that no party involved is actively seeking such a scenario.

Before the recent Russian elections held from March 15 to 17, tensions escalated as Ukraine intensified its attacks against Russia. Putin revealed that Kyiv had deployed a significant number of soldiers to the border zone, estimating their presence at around 5,000 individuals.

Additionally, Putin mentioned the involvement of the Russian Volunteer Corps, recognized as a terrorist organization in Russia, along with similar groups totaling approximately 2,500 individuals. He described them as being "thrown into assaults" like "meat," indicating significant casualties in recent attacks.

Putin's victory in the presidential elections was accompanied by discussions surrounding a prisoner swap involving opposition leader Alexei Navalny. He expressed sadness over Navalny's sudden death in prison and referenced other instances of prisoners dying in custody, including in the United States.

According to Putin, a proposal for exchanging Navalny for prisoners held in Western nations had been presented to him days before Navalny's demise in February.

Navalny's death occurred on February 16, adding further complexity to the political landscape. Putin's electoral success saw him receive 87.17% of the votes, with the Communist Party of the Russian Federation candidate Nikolai Kharitonov securing the second position.

Vladislav Davankov from the New People Party stood third with 4.8% of the votes, while Leonid Slutsky of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) received only 3.15% of the votes.

The presidential elections, held over three days from March 15 to 17, recorded a voter turnout of 74.22%, marking a significant engagement in the electoral process.