Nuclear Meltdown: Putin Warns Russia Could Strike Western Nations, Usher in 'Destruction of Civilization'

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a stark warning to the West if support for Ukraine continues, threatening the use of Russia's formidable nuclear arsenal “that can hit targets on their territory."

In his annual address to parliament and other high-ranking officials, Putin, 71, accused Western nations of actively seeking to weaken his country.

Putin emphasized Russia's capacity to strike targets on Western soil, underscoring the potential for conflict involving nuclear weapons and the catastrophic consequences for civilization.

“(Western nations) must realize that we also have weapons that can hit targets on their territory,” Putin said. “All this really threatens a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons and the destruction of civilization. Don’t they get that?!,” the New York Post reported.

The Russian president, widely expected to secure another six-year term in the upcoming presidential election, took pride in Russia's extensive modern nuclear weapons arsenal, asserting its status as the world's largest.

Putin's warning followed discussions initiated by French President Emmanuel Macron proposing the deployment of European NATO troops to Ukraine — a proposition met with resistance from the US, Britain and Germany, among others.

Putin declared Russia's strategic nuclear forces to be on high alert, highlighting the deployment and advanced development of hypersonic nuclear weapons first mentioned in 2018.

His address coincided with suggestions from the president of the European Commission to freeze Russian assets to aid Ukraine, a move that visibly irked Putin.

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Expressing his displeasure, Putin drew historical parallels, cautioning Western leaders to heed the lessons of past invaders like Adolf Hitler and Napoleon Bonaparte, who faced dire consequences upon invading Russia.

“But now the consequences will be far more tragic,” said Putin. “They think it (war) is a cartoon.”