Putin warns of 'destruction of civilization'. Hear retired general's response

Summary

Putin has openly threatened nuclear conflict, warning of civilization's destruction. General Hodges says to take the threats seriously since Putin doesn't care about innocent lives lost. However, Hodges believes Putin is blustering to make the West overreact and halt Ukraine aid. New intel shows Russia's threshold for nuclear use is lower than believed. Hodges argues seizing Russian assets, like the $285B identified, would aid Ukraine and send consequences to Putin's supporters.

Takeaways

• 😨 Putin has made his darkest and most specific nuclear threats yet against the West
• 😤 Putin warns of the destruction of civilization if conflict leads to nuclear weapons use
• 🤔 General Hodges believes Putin is using nuclear threats as bluster and to make the West overreact
• 😳 New intelligence suggests Russia's threshold for nuclear use is lower than previously thought
• 👍 Hodges thinks nuclear threats work to Russia's advantage by deterring more Ukraine aid
• 💰 There is $285 billion in frozen Russian assets that could go to Ukraine
• 😀 That frozen money could provide an enormous boost for Ukraine's war and reconstruction efforts
• 🔥 Sending the frozen assets to Ukraine would send a strong message to Putin's supporters
• 🤝 Yellen and Hodges agree sending assets to Ukraine would be a good idea
• 😅 Hodges believes announcing the goal of Ukraine defeating Russia would show resolve

Q & A

What specific nuclear threats did Putin make in his recent speech?

Putin threatened that Russia has weapons that can hit targets on Western territory, warning of the potential destruction of civilization if conflict leads to the use of nuclear weapons.

How seriously does General Hodges take Putin's nuclear threats?

General Hodges says Putin's threats should be taken seriously because Putin does not care about innocent lives, but he also believes they are largely bluster and an attempt to make the West overreact and deter itself.

What is the Russian threshold for using nuclear weapons according to obtained intelligence documents?

The documents suggest Russia's threshold for using nuclear weapons is lower than previously thought - making the navy more effective and stopping aggression were cited as potential justifications.

Why does General Hodges urge skepticism about the Russian nuclear threshold document?

General Hodges says Russian documents should be viewed skeptically - their purpose and how they were obtained should be questioned, as they may be part of efforts to make the West wary.

How does the prospect of Russian nuclear use impact Ukraine aid from the West?

Concerns over Russian nuclear threats have contributed to hesitation by the US, Germany and others to fully commit to helping Ukraine defeat Russia.

How much in frozen Russian assets does Treasury Secretary Yellen cite as available?

Yellen cites nearly $300 billion, around $285 billion, in frozen Russian assets that could potentially be directed to Ukraine.

How significant could redirecting those frozen assets be for Ukraine's war effort?

General Hodges says that amount is 4-5 times current aid packages, so it would enormously boost Ukraine's ability to purchase needed weapons and reconstruction materials.

Why would redirecting Russian assets also be useful beyond the monetary impact?

It would send a strong signal of consequences to Russians who have so far not felt impacts for supporting Putin and the war.

What is the West's current objective regarding the Ukraine-Russia conflict?

General Hodges says the US and Germany are unwilling to state clearly that their goal is for Ukraine to defeat Russia.

What does General Hodges recommend the West's objective should be regarding the conflict?

General Hodges believes the stated objective should be for Ukraine to defeat Russia on the battlefield.