In a speech announcing partial military mobilization days ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that his country would use all weapons to defend its territory, raising

expectations that a "tactical nuclear weapon" could be used against "specific targets" within positions in eastern Ukraine, given the continued military advances of Kiev, and the recovery of more territory under Russian control.

At a press conference, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also waved nuclear weapons to protect the territories that would join his country after referendums in eastern and southern Ukraine.

Asked whether Russia had justification for using nuclear weapons to defend its annexed areas, Lavrov said: "Russian territory, including those further contained in the Russian Constitution in the future, is fully under State protection."

"All Russian laws, including those relating to the use of nuclear weapons, apply to all of Russia's territory."

Ukrainian diplomat Ivan Sehida emphasized that his country was "seriously dealing with Russia's threats to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, and we do not rule it out"

According to Ceyheda, after the Russian military failure in Ukraine, and with the restoration of much of the occupied areas of the south, we do not exclude Putin '

tactical nuclear weapons, against specific sites, in an attempt to stop Ukraine '

counter-attack aimed at the complete liberation of our occupied territories, but we will not be subjected to Russian pressure or dictates "

To avoid the use of nuclear weapons, Ceyheda went on to say: "There must be a firm response from the nuclear-arsenal countries, especially America and the United Kingdom, because they are guarantors of Ukrainian security in accordance with the Budapest Convention of 1994 when Ukraine abandoned its nuclear arsenal in exchange for safeguards", and called on those countries to "firmly and openly clarify their rejection of Russian sian threat to the security of our country and the world."

Volodymyr Shumakov, a former Ukrainian diplomat and current adviser to the governor of the southern province of Kherson, said: "Should Putin implement his nuclear threat, our country will have the right to target Russia's nuclear plants, especially with some 4 nuclear plants not far from Ukraine's borders."

In his explanation of the escalation of Russian threats, Shumakov stated that Moscow senses danger because of Ukrainian progress, "and therefore aims to try to force Kyiv to accept negotiations on Russian terms", most notably: "to try to extract recognition from Ukraine that all areas, occupied or to hold referendums, fall within Russian territory"