Recent battlefield losses may leave Russian President Vladimir Putin inclined to use nuclear weapons to instill fear in Ukrainians and their allies, a former NATO deputy general warns.
Rose Gottemoeller, NATO's former deputy secretary general, told the BBC's "Today" that observing how "Putin and his coterie have been behaving during this crisis," she fears that "they will strike back now in really unpredictable ways that may even involve weapons of mass destruction."
According to Express, when the former NATO chief was asked if she meant a nuclear strike, she responded, "Yes. And I want to stress that I don't believe the Russians will implicate their central strategic systems, their intercontinental ballistic missiles, or submarine-launched missiles that would strike at the United States."
"We've been concerned from the outset of this crisis with Putin rattling the nuclear saber that he might put in play for a nuclear demonstration strike," she added.
This could involve either "a single strike over the Black Sea," she continued, "or perhaps a strike at a Ukrainian military facility," which would "strike terror not only into the hearts of the Ukrainians," but also into Kyiv's allies.
"The goal would be to try to get the Ukrainians in their terror to capitulate. I do worry about that kind of scenario at the moment. I think the Ukrainians seem well prepared to stay the course, but we will all have to be ready to stay the course, come what may."
Recently, Ukraine's military has retaken Russian-occupied areas such as Izyum. Other reports indicate that Ukrainians have reclaimed up to 3,700 square miles of land.
In the past, Putin has warned he would use nuclear weapons if needed.
Some military experts have also warned if Russia is pressed, Putin may retaliate with a nuclear strike.
British Army officer, Maj. Gen. Tim Cross, warned that Ukraine's offensive in Crimea could cause a nuclear strike.
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