ST. PETERSBURG, Russia

President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday warned the West that Russia could use all available means to defend itself if its sovereignty is threatened.

"We have a nuclear doctrine. If someone's actions threaten our sovereignty and territorial integrity, we believe it is possible to use all means at our disposal. This should not be taken lightly," he said.

Putin answered questions from the heads of leading global news agencies at the Lakhta Center as part of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

He said the Ukrainian army loses approximately 50,000 service personnel every month in the war that began in February 2022, and Kyiv mobilizes about 30,000 people per month to make up for the losses.

According to his assessment, in the last two months Ukraine has mobilized 50,000-55,000 people, “but this does not solve the problem because all this mobilization only compensates for the losses.”

The Russian leader said the US is pressuring Ukraine to lower the mobilization age to 18, adding: "I think that the US administration will force the current leadership of Ukraine to make these decisions – to lower the mobilization age to 18 years, and then they will simply get rid of (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelenskyy."

"Now we have June 2024. It seems to me that it takes a year to do all this. Until the beginning of next year, at least they will tolerate him, and when he does everything, they will say goodbye and change him. There are several candidates, as far as I understand," he said.

Zelenskyy’s five-year term in office ended on May 20, but he will remain in his post until new elections are held, which are not possible during martial law.

Putin said Western countries constantly accuse Russia of using nuclear threats, which he said was incorrect, emphasizing that the US was the country that used nuclear bombs in Japan during World War II.

He also dismissed claims that Russia plans to attack NATO territory as "nonsense," saying: "Have you all lost your minds? Who invented this? This is complete nonsense, do you understand?"

Expressing no discomfort about the growing Muslim population in Russia, he said: "We are not against the increase in the Muslim population. On the contrary, we are satisfied with the current situation in the Russian Federation.”

"In some of our republics, where the population is predominantly Muslim, the birth rate is very good, and we are very happy," he said.

Regarding the Taliban, Putin emphasized the need to act based on realities, saying that they need to develop relations with the interim government controlling Afghanistan.

*Writing by Alperen Aktas in Istanbul and Elena Teslova in Moscow