Putin ‘certainly not bluffing’ and will use nuclear weapons if pushed, says Medvedev

He believes Nato will not directly interfere in conflict for fear of ‘nuclear apocalypse’

Russia has the right to defend itself if pushed and the threat of nuclear weapons is “is certainly not a bluff”, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has said.

Vladimir Putin warned last week that he would use “all the means at our disposal” to protect Russia. “It’s not a bluff,” he said, that Russia would use its weapons of mass destruction if its territory was threatened.

Now serving as deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, Mr Medvedev added that the US-led military alliance Nato would stay out of the conflict for fear of a “nuclear apocalypse”.