Vladimir Putin’s statements made on March 1 had caught the attention of the world and were mostly criticized by western leaders and nuclear analysts.

But Istanbul-based MEF University’s Political Science and International Relations Department Dean Prof. Mustafa Kibaroglu said: "It is not a coincidence that Putin's statements about the development of new nuclear-powered long-range missiles, which could leave the most advanced counter-missile air defense systems useless, were announced a short while before the elections.

“It aims to influence the Russian public opinion as well.”

He added the statements had not been made for domestic audience only. It is also to draw the world’s attention to Russia’s nuclear power.

"Russia's annexation of Crimea, the veiled military operations in eastern Ukraine, military maneuvers and political statements threatening the Baltic states, have made Russia's relations with the West very strained," Kibaroglu told Anadolu Agency.

"Recently Pentagon set out its 'Nuclear Posture Review 2018' under President Trump's directive. The targets set out in the document speaks of usage of nuclear weapons even in low-level conflicts.

“It would also weaken the nuclear disarmament regime embodied with the 'Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons' [NPT], as well as push more and more countries to develop these kinds of weapons," he said.

"The nuclear arms race began essentially between the U.S. and the Soviet Union in the 1950s, and got accelerated till the middle of 1970s. Later on, they understood that their arms could have destroyed each other and the whole world several times.

“Along with the high cost of producing these weapons, there were multiple challenges created by storing it in safe environments. As a result, a number of treaties have been signed between the two superpowers to reduce the number of nuclear weapons in their arsenal.

"Anybody who knows the impact of the nuclear weapon, would not want to take the risk of usage of it. Eventually, the threat or political will of the country possessing nuclear weapon should be taken seriously. Whether it's a nuclear weapon or a firearm, if a weapon was produced, there is a possibility that one day it might be used. 

“No one can guarantee that populist leaders such as Kim Yong Un, Trump and Putin will not enter an adventure that could involve the use of nuclear weapons."