Ukraine live briefing: Putin warns of ‘long process’ in Ukraine; says Russia has ‘not gone crazy’ over nuclear threats

The war in Ukraine, which Russian President Vladimir Putin calls a “special military operation,” will “be a long process,” he said during a televised meeting on Wednesday.

After months of veiled nuclear threats, Putin defended Russia’s nuclear policies. While the threat of nuclear war has risen, “we have not gone crazy, we are aware of what nuclear weapons are,” Putin said, adding that Russia’s nuclear strategy is centered on “retaliatory strikes.”