Is Russian President Putin Using The Specter Of Nuclear War To Fracture Growing Western Support For Ukraine And To Force Concessions?

© Alexei Nikolsky/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS 

AP: Reading Putin: Unbalanced or cagily preying on West’s fears? 

WASHINGTON (AP) — For two decades, Vladimir Putin has struck rivals as reckless, impulsive. But his behavior in ordering an invasion of Ukraine — and now putting Russia’s nuclear forces on high alert — has some in the West questioning whether the Russian president has become dangerously unstable. 

In recent days, Putin has rambled on television about Ukraine, repeated conspiracy theories about neo-Nazism and Western aggression, berated his own foreign intelligence chief on camera from the other side of a high-domed Kremlin hall where he sat alone. Now, with the West’s sanctions threatening to cripple Russia’s already hobbled economy, Putin has ordered the higher state of readiness for nuclear weapons, blaming the sanctions and what he called “aggressive statements against our country.”  

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WNU Editor: Russian President Putin has been ruling Russia for over two decades. You will not be able to do that if you are reckless, impulsive, and unstable. In fact, it would be impossible. 

Russian President Putin is ruthless, fiercely pro-Russian, and focused on protecting Russian security interests first at the expense of everything else .... freedoms, the economy, and Russia's diplomatic relations with other countries. 

This sentiment is shared by everyone that is in the upper levels of the government, and by most Russians. I should know, I have been a minority of one for years when arguing with my Russian family members and friends on why this type of policy is short-sighted and does not serve Russia's long term security interests. 

But I digress. 

There is a reason why Putin elevated Russia's nuclear forces. And that is because he wants to position himself to use nuclear tactical weapons in Ukraine if he has to, and be ready to respond if the West decides to intervene. 

This is not a political maneuver on his part to scare the West, put pressure on the Ukraine government for concessions, preying on Western fears, or to bolster his standing in Russia. 

He is deadly serious and his been since the fall of last year when it comes to Ukraine and pushing the West in addressing Russia's security concerns.