 Sergei Ilnitsky/Pool via Reuters
- Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual call-in question show contained an ominous warning about World War III.
- Putin quoted Albert Einstein to say that World War III would result in the end of civilization as we know it.
- Putin has the nuclear arsenal to end civilization unilaterally.
- In 2014 he annexed Crimea from Ukraine in a move that resembles the run up to World War II.
- But the US has nuclear weapons of its own, and holds Russia back from being too aggressive or using nukes.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual call-in question show contained broad talk of improving Russia's economy, the upcoming soccer World Cup — and some ominous warnings about World War III.
Putin frequently frames his country as resisting Western aggression designed to hold back Russia, often citing Western sanctions on the Russians economy.See the rest of the story at Business Insider NOW WATCH: Here's what 'Narcos' and 'Sicario' get right and wrong about drug cartels See Also: SEE ALSO: How the US's nuclear weapons compare to Russia's  |