The US President Joe Biden has issued a grim warning that Vladimir Putin could launch “retaliatory strikes” as “NATO is in effect, is either intervening or about to intervene.”

US intelligence officials have warned that Russian fingers are getting ready to hover over the red nuclear button if Putin wakes up one day and decides that NATO is a threat.

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Intelligence chiefs have voiced their concerns suggesting there could be “more unpredictable and escalatory” in using nuclear weapons if they believe there is going to be defeat in Ukraine.

US Director of national intelligence Avril Haines said, “We do think that [Putin’s fear of an existential threat] could be the case in the event that he perceives that he is losing the war in Ukraine.

“And that NATO, in effect, is either intervening or about to intervene in that context, which would obviously contribute to a perception that he is about to lose the war in Ukraine.”

Haines warned Moscow might unleash a nuclear warhead should this happen, she added, “There are a lot of things that he would do in the context of escalation before he would get to nuclear weapons.

“And also that he would be likely to engage in some signalling beyond what he’s done thus far before doing so.”

Putin warned the West not to get involved in their “special operation” in Ukraine and Russian strategic nuclear forces were placed on “high alert.”

Putin warned the West to stop sending more weaponry to Ukraine and said in April if the West do not listen then Russia will respond “lightening fast.”

Putin told Russian MPs, “If someone intends to intervene in the ongoing events from the outside and create strategic threats for Russia that are unacceptable to us, they should know that our retaliatory strikes will be lightning fast.

“We have all the tools for this, things no one else can boast of having now. And we will not boast, we will use them if necessary. And I want everyone to know that.”