New Delhi: Russian president Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said the threat of nuclear wars is on the rise, while calling nuclear weapons as a 'deterrent measure'.
Addressing Russia's Human Rights Council, Putin said "a deterrent factor that does not provoke the expansion of conflicts".
Putin's similar threat in the past had resonance in Ukraine with reports of people bracing for a nuclear strike anytime.
Alongside Putin's threat, the major Ukraine city Kyiv warned of an "apocalypse" scenario in the event of Russia attacks continue on the city's infrastructure.
Meanwhile, talking to the Human Rights Council, Putting expanded on Russia's strategy of striking back in response of an attack, adding that deployment of nuclear weapons are "all based around on the so-called retaliatory strike".
In a televised meeting, Putin told his loyalists of the Russian army possibly fighting for a long time in Ukraine.
Russian forces entered Ukraine in February triggering what Russia called "special military operation".
After brief interval of a few weeks, Russia intensified attack on Ukraine causing widespread casualties in multiple cities, destroying power supply.
However, Ukrainian forces withstood the Russian onslaught and started retaliating often seizing cities held by Russian forces.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier said the electricity supply in the country is being increased, while admitting that it is impossible to restore 100 percent energy system.
A senior Ukrainian official reportedly said Russian forces fired more than 1,000 rockets and missiles at power grids.