Russian President Vladimir Putin said on March 13 that his country was “far more advanced” than the United States in developing a “trinity of nuclear forces” that could be launched from land, sea and air.

“Our trinity, our nuclear trinity, is more modern than any other trinity. Only our country and the United States have such a trinity. And in this we are far more advanced,” Putin said in an interview on state television.

The Kremlin has repeatedly demonstrated its nuclear capabilities since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine two years ago, and Western countries have criticised the Russian nuclear rhetoric as irresponsible.

In his annual State of the Nation address last month, Putin warned that there was a “real” risk of nuclear war if the West escalated the conflict in Ukraine.

In an interview on the 13th, he also touched on Western troops, stating that even if they were sent to Ukraine, it would not change the situation. “When I say the sending of regular troops from other countries, it will not change the situation at all. That is the most important thing. Just like supplying weapons will not change anything,” he said.

French President Emmanuel Macron said last month that the option of sending Western ground troops to Ukraine should not be ruled out, although some of Ukraine’s allies, including the United States, have distanced themselves from his position.

Russia has an estimated 5,000+ nuclear warheads, making it the world’s largest. (c)AFP