Russian President Vladimir Putin took a “nuclear suitcase” with him on Thursday in Volgograd in the south-west of the country, where he took part in the celebrations on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet army over the Nazi forces in the Battle of Stalingrad, the British publication The Mirror and the Ukrainian news agency reported. agency Unian.

Two security officers who accompanied him to the ceremony of laying flowers at the monument to the Soviet soldiers who died during the Battle of Stalingrad were seen and photographed with two black suitcases in their hands.

It is assumed that one was carrying a so-called “nuclear suitcase”, and the other – a suitcase with an allegedly complex shield for intervention in the event of a possible armed attack on the President of the Russian Federation.

In Volgograd, Putin was seen in his armored Aurus limousine, in a convoy of 25 vehicles, including an ambulance, and under heavy security.

Snipers were sent to protect the president, and local governor Andriy Bochearov was forced to spend nine days in quarantine before addressing Putin.

Local residents were ordered to take time off from work to stay off the streets, with the exception of a select few residents who also had to undergo several days of quarantine and were banned from approaching Putin.

Opposition politician Boris Vishnevsky accused Putin of using the ceremonies of the historic date to deliver a “propaganda speech” linked to his war in Ukraine, which has already left thousands of Russians dead, The Mirror reports.

According to Vyshinevsky, Putin’s message was that “the special military operation (this is how he uses the war, which he uses for the war against Ukraine – no) should be equated with the Great War for the Defense of the Fatherland (World War II – no).” and that “the West has always been against us, our enemy, not our ally.” “Oh, it’s a falsification of history,” he said.

There were reports that local authorities cleaned up the city ahead of Putin’s visit, removing stray dogs from the streets and demolishing dilapidated houses so the Russian president would not see the poverty people live in, the British tabloid reported.

The President of Russia has repeatedly threatened that he may resort to nuclear weapons during the war he unleashed against Ukraine, Unian notes.

Even in his speech on Thursday, the Russian leader said that Russia’s response to Ukraine’s supply of modern Western tanks “will not be limited to the use of armor,” alluding to the country’s nuclear power, which Moscow and its leaders have repeatedly praised. , especially after the conflict in Ukraine dragged on, commented EFE on Thursday.

At the same time, Putin has repeatedly stated, most recently at the end of last year, that Russia “under no circumstances” will be the first to use nuclear weapons, since its military doctrine envisages such an attack only in retaliation for a similar attack. (Agerpress)