In an interview with Russian media, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia is technically ready for a nuclear war and that if the US invades Ukraine, it will be considered a significant escalation of the war. 

Putin said that he is not in a "hurry" to use nuclear weapons and that the need to use weapons of mass destruction in the war with Ukraine "has never been there."

"From a military-technical point of view, we are, of course, ready," the Russian president said.

He noted that "the United States understands that if it deploys American troops on the territory of Russia or in Ukraine, Russia will perceive this step as interference."

"The United States has enough experts in the field of Russian-American relations and in the field of strategic deterrence. Therefore, I do not think that everything is heading towards this, but we are ready for it," Putin said.

At the same time, he added that "weapons exist to be used."