Russian war crimes continue in Ukraine, with the Russian military once again targeting civilian areas. A missile struck a grocery store in the village of Hroza in northeastern Kharkiv, killing 51 people.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called it a "deliberate, demonstrative, and brutal terror attack," urging that Russian terror must be stopped. He also stated that anyone helping Russia evade sanctions is a criminal.
Putin's Response
Hours after reports of the brutal terror attack, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a speech at an annual event hosted by the Valdai think tank in Sochi.
Putin did not comment on the terror attack in Kharkiv. However, he spoke about Russia's nuclear arsenal, hinting that Moscow might resume nuclear testing for the first time in over three decades. He also announced that Russia is ready to launch its nuclear-capable ballistic missile system, Sarmat, which can carry at least 10 nuclear warheads.
During his speech, Putin issued a threat to the entire world, stating,
"In the event of an attack on Russia, no one will survive." As the Russian war in Ukraine prolongs, several key figures have urged Putin to initiate new nuclear tests to send a powerful message to Moscow's enemies in the West. Margarita Simonjan, editor-in-chief of Russia Today, recently suggested that Russia should detonate a thermonuclear device, also known as a hydrogen bomb, somewhere over Siberia in eastern Russia.
Putin acknowledged the suggestion, saying, "I know there are calls to start nuclear testing again. I'm not ready to say whether we should do it or not, but it is theoretically possible to act the same way as the USA."
