In a fresh interview with a Russian broadcaster that aired Sunday Putin claimed that the West “wanted to provoke us, wanted to force us to make mistakes” on a strategic level. He described, in an unprecedented allegation, that Ukraine’s Western supporters in NATO were essentially trying to bait Moscow into deploying nuclear weapons in Ukraine. Putin emphasized that Russia exercised restraint in this matter.

“We have enough capabilities and means to finish what we started in 2022 with the result that Russia needs,” Putin concluded. He emphasized that Russia is able to carry through with its military goals without resorting to nuclear arms.

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/west-wanted-provoke-russia-using-nukes-ukraine-putin-claims