A senior pro-Putin Russian MP has called for tactical nuclear missiles to be used against Ukraine. Aleksey Zhuravlev, First Deputy Chairman of the Russian Parliament’s Defence Committee, is also the leader of the Rodina - or Motherland - party.
MP demands harder strikes
“Today, our army is moving forward. This is encouraging,” he said.
“We are inflicting crushing blows on the enemy's infrastructure. That's also good.
“But, in my opinion, we need to hit harder. And it's not just my opinion.”
He demanded: “We need to hit so hard that the enemy understands that they must capitulate.”
Nuclear weapons 'not up for discussion'
The ultranationalist said: “There are discussions going on: can we use tactical nuclear weapons or can't we?
“Listen, that discussion should not even exist.
“If necessary, we are obliged to use them. That's what we're talking about.”
He claimed that Ukraine failed to show its big neighbour Russia proper respect, but using nuclear weapons would bring them to heel.
“All of our Soviet republics always lived much better than…today’s Russia.
“And how do they treat us now? I don't need to tell you.”
Loyal Putin lapdog Zhuravlev, 64, said: “Stop making the same mistake again….
“The Americans dropped a couple of nuclear bombs on Japan, and what do we see?
“They [the Japanese] practically started kissing American *****….
“If we have to strike [with nukes], we'll strike. And that's not up for discussion.”
Political context
Russia has multiple short range tactical nuclear missiles - such as the Iskander-M.
Rodina is one of ten parties contesting September elections for the Russian Parliament or Duma.
Zhuravlev led successful legal action - seen as at Vladimir Putin’s behest - to persuade the Supreme Court to disqualify the only party opposed to the war from standing in the election.
One theory is that Putin fanatics call for nuclear strikes are failing in the war, and that this is the case now.
