Kremlin, 10/18/24

Dmitry Kiselev: Mr President, you have mentioned the Ukrainian crisis. Just yesterday, while addressing the EU summit in Brussels, the ‘expired president’ Vladimir Zelensky said that the sole alternative to Ukraine joining NATO would be acquiring nuclear weapons. Simultaneously, the Bild newspaper published an interview with some anonymous Ukrainian tech-savvy, who claimed that Ukraine only needs a few weeks to build its own nuclear weapons and then make a strike at Russian troops.

What does it all mean?

Vladimir Putin: This is yet another act of provocation. In the modern world, creating nuclear weapons is not a difficult task. I do not know whether Ukraine is capable of doing this now though. It is not easy for Ukraine today, but generally there are no big difficulties in this regard, with everyone knowing how it is done.

This is a dangerous act of provocation, because, obviously, any step in this direction will meet an adequate response. This is the second point.

And third, most importantly, the current Ukrainian leadership claimed that Ukraine should have nuclear weapons. As I have mentioned on many occasions, they had stated that even before the crisis entered its hot stage; although it was a soft statement, it was made anyway. And such a threat will elicit a corresponding response from Russia.

I can say straight away: under no circumstances will Russia allow this to happen.

Dmitry Kiselev: But could it happen that, say, the British secretly provide these nuclear weapons to Ukraine and then claim that it was Ukraine that built them?

Vladimir Putin: Let’s avoid making any hypothetical assumptions and wild guesses about the British or whoever secretly supplying weapons. Such efforts cannot be hidden; they require proper resources and actions. It cannot be done covertly just as you cannot hide a cat in a bag. And we are capable of tracking any steps in this direction….

Nadim Koteich (retranslated): Mr President,

As someone who has a thorough understanding of military strategies, do you see any surprises or perhaps feel any disappointment in the Russian army’s performance in this war that has been going on for a long time, longer than you expected?

And the second question: could you determine when you will achieve victory in Ukraine?

Vladimir Putin: You know, setting any deadlines is a very complicated and even counterproductive action.

We have just spoken about the possibility of peace talks. We are all for it. I described how it could be implemented. If this is a totally earnest stance that both sides adhere to, then the sooner the better.

Regarding the army: you know, the character of warfare is ever-evolving in today’s world due to technological progress. It is rather difficult today to give a totally accurate assessment of tomorrow’s events.

Moreover, just recently, people were saying that the today’s warfare was a confrontation of technologies. Today, I have already heard our participants in combat operations saying that the today’s warfare is a “war of mathematicians.”

Here is a specific example: electronic warfare means are used to intercept [the enemy’s] means of destruction and suppress them. The other side makes certain assessments and makes changes to the strike weapons software. Within a week, ten days, three weeks, the other side increases its efforts and makes adjustments to the software in its electronic suppression means. The process continues endlessly. Of course, it is totally evident that the Ukrainian army is unable to do it, neither can they use high-precision and long-range weapons as they simply do not have them. It is evident that this is being done by NATO, its member countries, and military specialists.

Do you see the difference? NATO is fighting us, but they are fighting this proxy war using Ukrainian soldiers. Ukraine does not spare its soldiers in the interests of third states. But it is NATO that uses high-tech weapons, not Ukraine, while the Russian army fights by itself, creating its own military products and developing its own software, which makes an immense difference. I have noticed that the Russian army is definitely becoming one of the most high-tech and efficient ones, especially recently. When will NATO get weary of fighting us? Well, ask them. We are ready to continue this fight – and we will be victorious….

Dmitry Kiselev: Mr President, the sentiment in the West regarding Ukraine has changed. Earlier there were talks about Ukraine’s inevitable victory and settling everything on the battlefield, but now there are active speculations about ceding territories in exchange for the remaining part of Ukraine joining NATO. How do you like this idea?

Vladimir Putin: I do not understand when you talk about ceding territories, because those territories which our soldiers are fighting for on the battlefield, these are our territories. These are the Lugansk People’s Republic, the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions. This is the first thing.

Second. Without any doubt, apart from this, we need to resolve the issue of ensuring long-term interests of Russia in the security sphere. If we are talking about some specific peace processes, then these should not be the processes connected with a truce for a week or two or for a year what would allow NATO countries to re-arm and stockpile new ammunition. We need conditions for a long-term, stable and lasting peace which would ensure equal security for all participants in this difficult process. This is what we should aspire for.

And if someone spoke at some point about the necessity to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, ensure victory over Russia on the battlefield, they already saw for themselves that this is impossible and unrealistic, and changed their point of view. Well, they were right to do so, I commend them for that….