President Putin is gradually opposed to NATO as well as Ukraine. The use of nuclear weapons is becoming a reality (Image: AFP / Afro) ‘The damage to Russian forces has been enormous. According to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) statistics, the number of casualties and prisoners of war since the invasion of Ukraine has reached 40,000. The maximum number of deployed troops is said to be 200,000, It means that 20% of the troops have been lost. It is a devastating figure.” Itsuro Nakamura, a professor at Tsukuba Gakuin University and an expert on the situation in Russia, said, “Russia is struggling greatly in Ukraine.” Russia is struggling in Ukraine. On April 24, the missile cruiser Moskva, the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet and a symbol of the Russian Navy, was sunk. President Putin’s impatience and anger seem to be tremendous. “According to Ukrainian authorities, the commander-in-chief of the Black Sea Fleet, Igor Osipov, has been arrested by the Russian FSB. He was probably held responsible by President Vladimir Putin for the sinking of the Moskva.” “Aides who objected to the invasion of Ukraine due to the damage have also been purged. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu went missing for two weeks in mid-March. On the surface, the reason is believed to be a heart attack, but he is said to have rebelled against President Putin. Other officials of the FSB have been sacked one after another,” said a reporter from the international section of a national newspaper. Why is Ukraine not called a “war”. The biggest reason for President Putin’s impatience lies in May 9, the anniversary of the war against Germany. The above-mentioned Professor Nakamura tells us. “The anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II is an important day for Russia. President Putin wants to achieve results by this date at all costs. He wants to declare a second victory by defeating Ukraine, which he considers a neo- Nazi’ state. His strong declaration that he has taken control of Mariupol in the southeast, where the situation is still unclear, is part of this trend.” “I believe that they will stop at nothing to achieve further war results by the anniversary of the war against Germany,  which will be recognized by the public. They are willing to use chemical weapons. In some cases, they may even use nuclear weapons.” “Putin has long suggested the use of nuclear weapons. But Ukraine is not the only country threatened by nuclear weapons. Several countries appear to be in danger.” Professor Nakamura continued. The Nordic countries of Finland and Sweden, which are considering applying to join NATO, are at great risk of becoming targets of a nuclear attack. For Russia, the expansion of NATO’s power in the East is a major threat. If Finland and Sweden join NATO If Ukraine joins NATO, it will lose its interest in the Black Sea. Russia would be excluded from the seas north and south of Europe. It is significant that Russia describes the invasion of Ukraine as a military operation. The invasion of Ukraine is only the beginning, and the real “war” awaits after that. For Russia, the “war” is a battle against the Western nations, including the United States, or NATO. Not only Ukraine, but also Finland, Sweden, and other countries on the front lines in the West should consider themselves under constant nuclear threat from Putin. When it became clear that Finland and Sweden would join NATO in earnest, Russia reacted violently. Former President Dmitry Medvedev threatened that military deployment would be necessary and that “the denuclearization of the Baltic Sea can no longer be discussed,” and he decided to deploy the Iskander ballistic missile, which is capable of carrying a nuclear bomb, to bring both countries within range.