In Washington, Putin's nuclear threats are raising alarm

In a speech on Friday, Mr Putin raised the prospect again, 

In a speech on Friday, Mr Putin raised the prospect again, 

Branding the U S & Nato as enemies bent on Russia's collapse

Branding the U S & Nato as enemies bent on Russia's collapse

and reiterating that he would use "all available means" to defend Russian territory

and reiterating that he would use "all available means" to defend Russian territory

which he now declared included four provinces

which he now declared included four provinces

Putin reminded the world of President Harry S. Truman's decision 77 years ago to drop atomic weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan

Putin reminded the world of President Harry S. Truman's decision 77 years ago to drop atomic weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan

adding: "By the way, they set a precedent."

On Saturday, the strongman leader of the southern Russian republic of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov

said Mr. Putin should consider using "

low-yield nuclear weapons” in Ukraine, becoming the first major Russian official to openly call for such a strike.