(FreedomBeacon.com)- An ex-CIA director warned that the US and NATO allies would annihilate Russian forces if Russian President Vladimir Putin utilized nuclear weapons in his conflict with Ukraine.
According to David Petraeus, who made an appearance on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday, Putin’s nuclear threats must be taken seriously. Petraeus also claimed that Putin is “desperate” because the “battlefield reality he faces is irreversible.”
Earlier this week, Putin issued a decree to forcibly annex portions of Ukraine. Days later, however, Russia was had to withdraw its forces from Lyman, a key strategic location that is one of the four districts of Ukraine that Russia annexed.
Putin proclaimed the West to be “Satanic” and promised to use all of the power at the Kremlin to defend Russia’s new territory as he signed the decree. Many others took the comment to be a nuclear threat.
Despite the fact that Ukraine is not a member of NATO, according to Petraeus, a “US and NATO response” would be appropriate.
He explained to host Jonathan Karl that it may be possible to interpret the chance that radiation from a nuclear weapon would reach a NATO nation as an attack on a NATO member.
There must be a response because this is so terrible; it cannot go unanswered.
Just as an example, we would lead a NATO-wide operation to destroy every Russian conventional force that we can see and identify on the battlefield in and around Crimea, as well as every ship in the Black Sea, as our response.
On Sunday, Ukraine asserted complete control over the eastern logistics center of Lyman. The region marks its largest battlefield victory over Russia in recent weeks, offering a possible staging location for additional eastward incursions while increasing pressure on the Kremlin.
Russian casualties during the retreat were probably high. Before the Ukrainian invasion, Russia had between 5,000 and 5,500 soldiers in the town, according to a Ukrainian military official on Saturday.
In the war, which is now in its eighth month, more than 60,000 Russian soldiers have perished.
Petreaus noted that in response to the annexation, “Russia got hammered by a thousand more individual, personal, and other sanctions,” “proving that the west still has more that can be done to Russia.”
He warned further that it could get worse for Putin and Russia. And nothing will change this, not even the tactical use of nuclear bombs.
However, he continued, “You must take the threat seriously.”
Additionally, Petraeus stated that he did not believe Russia could prevail at this time.
They are unable. At this point, Putin is powerless to do anything.
