President Volodymyr Zelensky said he doubts Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's ability to direct a tactical nuclear strike.
"It is difficult for the Russians to control everything that happens in their country, just as they do not control everything that they have on the battlefield," Zelensky said, pointing to the fact that the Russian army and weapons are in worse shape than many predicted before the Kremlin launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Yet, Zelensky added on Oct. 6 that the world "will never forgive either Putin or Russia" if he actually uses nuclear weapons.
As Russia faces defeat on the battlefield, Putin began to use nuclear blackmail in an attempt to slow down Ukraine's counteroffensive.
"When its territorial integrity is threatened, Russia will use everything it can, this is not a bluff," Putin said on Sept. 21, as he ordered a "partial mobilization."
Meanwhile, Ukraine's General Staff reported on Oct. 6 that the Armed Forces liberated 93 settlements in northeastern Ukraine since Putin's announcement. Ukraine's Armed Forces advanced 55 kilometers deep into Russian-occupied territory and took control of more than 2,400 square kilometers, Ukraine's military reported.