ls Levits, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine September 9, 2022.
Valentyn Ogirenko | Reuters

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia’s threat of nuclear weapons use “could be a reality,” in an interview with CBS’ “Face the Nation” Sunday.

It has been seven months since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February, and in a rare, televised address on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin indirectly threatened that he is prepared to use nuclear weapons to escalate the war.

Zelenskyy said Russia is targeting nuclear power plants in Ukraine, so there could be some truth to Putin’s claims.

“He wants to scare the whole world. These are the first steps of his nuclear blackmail. I don’t think he’s bluffing,” Zelenskyy said.