Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declared that nuclear weapons are the only factor preventing a global war, issuing a stark warning just hours before President Vladimir Putin met with Russia's human rights commissioner. Speaking at the 12th Primakov Readings international forum, Peskov stated, "Now it (global security) is eroding from the point of view of many parameters. In fact, we have nothing else in the world apart from nuclear deterrence. It is the only thing shielding the world from a global war."
Nuclear Deterrence and Regional Conflicts
Peskov acknowledged that nuclear deterrence does not prevent regional conflicts, noting that their potential is unfortunately rising. Throughout the Ukraine conflict, Putin has frequently used nuclear rhetoric, drawing criticism from Europe and the United States who view such language as dangerous and provocative.
Putin Meets Human Rights Commissioner
The nuclear warning came shortly before Putin met with Yana Lantratova, Russia's Human Rights Commissioner. According to a Kremlin spokesman, the meeting was an interesting exchange where Lantratova spoke and Putin listened. She reported that since assuming office on May 14, her office had received 14,752 appeals, with 52 percent related to the special military operation in Ukraine. "Behind every one of these figures lies more than just statistics, but a real human story," she said.
Lantratova also highlighted her international activities, including a trip to Bishkek for a meeting of ombudsmen from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, where she held six bilateral meetings primarily with colleagues from CIS countries. She also signed a cooperation agreement with Lebanon. Putin responded with just five words: "Good. Thank you very much."
Who Is Yana Lantratova?
Lantratova, a former MTV host, entered politics in 2010 as an assistant to a local politician in Saint Petersburg. She was later elected to the Young Guard of United Russia's federal coordination council. After working with the All-Russia People's Front, she became a State Duma politician in September 2021. Born in Leningrad in the USSR, she now represents the JRFT party, a pro-Kremlin group founded in 2006 that has supported Putin and the Ukraine invasion. She has never publicly opposed Putin's policies.
