Putin, the Emperor-President, Decides Deploying Nuclear Weapons Within NATO Encirclement

Putin, 71, was elected to a fifth presidential term in the March 17 presidential election, surpassing the 29 years of Stalin, the autocratic leader of the former Soviet Union, and bringing his total to 30 years, including his time as prime minister.

Vladimir Putin won 77.4% of the votes cast and 87.3% of the votes cast.

Both of these figures are the highest ever recorded in a presidential election held in Russia. Does Mr. Putin really enjoy overwhelming support from the people? Itsuro Nakamura, professor emeritus at Tsukuba University and an expert on Russian affairs, is skeptical.

He says, “Mr. Putin was practically the only candidate in the race, as anti-regime figures were eliminated before the election due to deficiencies in their paperwork. Smartphone apps were used to track individuals’ cell phone numbers and polling place locations, and the people had no other choice. In the northwestern province of Arkhangelsk, prizes were offered to increase voter turnout. They could win apartments, cars, and electronics in a drawing. In this presidential election, anything was possible.”

Putin has publicly stated that he has “overwhelming support from the people” for the invasion of Ukraine. He may have wanted to stage a “stunning victory” because he would lose his persuasive power if his vote share fell below the 76.7% he received in the previous election in 2006. The situation in Ukraine, however, is now at a stalemate, three years after the war began. Yu Koizumi, an associate professor at the University of Tokyo’s Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, says, “Russia has had the upper hand since the beginning of this year.

Russia has been in the lead since the beginning of this year, but it has not won overwhelmingly. Ukraine is also struggling, but is still able to resist. I think Russia is stalling the war, waiting for Ukraine and its supporters to make noise.

What has further put Russia in a difficult position is the accession of the Nordic countries of Finland and Sweden to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

The border between Russia and Finland stretches about 1,350 km. Finland’s accession to NATO, which has adopted a policy of neutrality, will force Finland to defend its long border, which had previously been unguarded. Previously, the Ukrainian and Belarusian areas were lumped together with the Western Military District, but this year we have divided them into two. This is probably in response to Finland and Sweden,” Koizumi said.

What is eerie is Putin’s recent references to “deploying nuclear weapons” in his speeches and media interviews.

He has said that “any new intervention [by NATO] in Russia could trigger a major conflict with nuclear weapons” (Feb. 29).

Russia’s nuclear weapons are the most advanced of any nation, and it is ready for war” (March 13).

While this could be seen as a threat by Vladimir Putin to use nuclear weapons, it is also said to have a realistic possibility that nuclear weapons will actually be deployed.

If Ukraine gains the upper hand, Russia will lose the Black Sea, the “southern port to Europe. Furthermore, with the accession of two Scandinavian countries to NATO, Russia will lose the Baltic Sea, its ‘northern port. For Russia, not only will NATO expand eastward, but it will also lose two oceans, which will be very damaging. Russia has an enclave called Kaliningrad that borders the Baltic Sea. There is a danger that Vladimir Putin will launch nuclear missiles deployed there at the two Nordic countries in order to defend the ‘northern port.

Japan is no stranger to this threat.

The greatest threat to Russia is probably the United States. After his inauguration in May, Putin will probably visit his closest ally, North Korea, at a relatively early date. He could provoke Kim Jong-Un to launch a missile attack on Japan or South Korea. If that happens, we can’t rule out the use of nuclear weapons,” Nakamura said.

After 30 years of rule, Vladimir Putin has become a dictator. The cornered “Czar of Russia” is reaching for the “nuclear button.

From the April 5-12, 2024 issue of FRIDAY