West must stand up to Putin’s nuclear threat

Madam,

When in trouble, tyrants cannot admit any weakness for fear it would undermine their authority and trigger the rapid downfall of their regime. By planning to throw 300 000 Russian reservists into battle as cannon fodder, however, Vladimir Putin has given away the fact that he knows he is losing the war he hubristically started in Ukraine.The despot's unhinged threat to launch nuclear weapons against the West for arming Ukraine's heroic resistance also reveals his humiliation at the failed invasion. “I’m not bluffing,” he snarled in a rambling speech.

This military debacle has killed Putin's credibility, along with his reputation as a master strategist – not to mention the countless young men sent to wage what was supposed to be a swift war. True, the reservists will bolster Russia's depleted and demoralised forces but they’ll need extra training and weapons, and won’t relish the prospect of spending a cold winter facing slaughter. And for what? To satisfy Putin's pride.

The Ukrainians, on the other hand, are well armed and confident after inflicting a series of crushing defeats.

They have powerful motivations to fight to the death: Their country, families and friends. The more Russian soldiers return home in coffins, the more obvious Putin’s folly will become to his people. Perhaps then they will rise against the Kremlin.Of course the West must take seriously his threat of a nuclear strike. While highly unlikely he would press the button, it’s not impossible. Who knows what the deranged dictator might do in desperation? There is, however, no alternative for the democratic world but to stand firm in the face of his sabre-rattling.

Daily Mail Comment