Vladimir Putin has been told now is the time to “use every opportunity” to defend Russian territory and launch “low yield tactical nuclear weapons” in the Lyman region after Ukrainian forces have allegedly pushed out more than 5,000 terrified Russian troops.

The Chechan warlord and very close ally of Putin Ramzan Kadrov told the Russian President that “more drastic measures” should now be taken.

Kadyrov wrote on Telegram, “Use every opportunity and every weapon to defend OUR territory.

“In my personal opinion, more drastic measures should be taken, up to the declaration of martial law in the border areas and the use of low-yield nuclear weapons.”

Read more on Russia-Ukraine war:

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Ukrainian forces have ‘liberated five areas’ in the Donetsk region which could now ‘threaten the territorial integrity of Russia’

Ukrainian forces enter the town of Lyman and Russia will have to appeal if they are ‘concerned’ with wanting their 5,500 troops back

The Russian Defence Ministry announced at around 2:20pm on Saturday, UK time, that all 5,500 troops have now fled the city of Lyman in eastern Ukraine “in connection with the creation of a threat of encirclement.”

The Ministry said, “In connection with the creation of a threat of encirclement, allied troops were withdrawn from the settlement of Krasny Liman to more advantageous lines,” this will be seen as another major loss to Putin.

On Friday Putin signed the decree in the Kremlin making the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine were formally announced as part of the Russian Federation, and threatened a nuclear response if there is any attack in those regions.