Leonid Slutsky Claims Russia Avoided Nuclear Weapons in Ukraine

The head of Russia's Liberal-Democratic Party and chair of the State Duma International Affairs Committee, Leonid Slutsky, stated in an interview with Tucker Carlson that Russia has intentionally refrained from using tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine. Slutsky claimed that while such weapons could have been used to achieve victory, Moscow chose to prioritize common sense and the minimization of civilian casualties.

Slutsky asserted that Russia avoids using weapons as an instrument of terror, contrasting its approach with the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. He maintained that Russia would only consider nuclear options if Western sponsors provided Ukraine with weapons of mass destruction.

Beyond nuclear restraint, Slutsky claimed the Russian government avoided striking strategic targets, including the Borispol airport and bridges across the Dnieper River. He argued that these targets were spared to prevent a humanitarian crisis, despite the military advantage such strikes would have provided.