Putin warns West of N war risk

MOSCOW, Feb 29 (AFP): President Vladimir Putin warned on Thursday of a "real" risk of nuclear war if the West escalates the conflict in Ukraine.
In a defiant speech in Moscow, the Russian leader said his soldiers were advancing in Ukraine and warned the West of "tragic consequences" for any country that dared to send troops to Kyiv.
"They have announced the possibility of sending Western military contingents to Ukraine... The consequences for possible interventionists will be much more tragic," Putin said in his annual address to the nation.
"They should eventually realise that we also have weapons that can hit targets on their territory. Everything that the West comes up with creates the real threat of a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons, and thus the destruction of civilisation," said Putin.