‘Putin Should Use NUKES’ Piers Morgan vs Russian Oligarch + Elon Musk Ex: ‘He Needs HELP’
October 20, 2026
AI Summary
5 min readA Russian Oligarch Wants Putin to Use Nukes—and That Reveals More Than He Intended
In one of the more revealing moments of a tense interview, Russian oligarch and media owner Konstantin Malofiev was pressed by Piers Morgan to say one critical thing about Vladimir Putin. After deflecting, he finally offered three criticisms: Putin was wrong to trust NATO 20 years ago, wrong to trust Western leaders during the 2014 Minsk negotiations, and—most strikingly—wrong not to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. "I believe that he's not right that he's not using our nuclear weapon now," Malofiev said. When asked where he wanted such a weapon used, he proposed a 72-hour ultimatum for civilians to evacuate before a strike. The exchange exposed something fundamental about how parts of the Russian elite think about the war, and it set the stage for a broader conversation about where the conflict stands militarily, how American politics is reshaping it, and what Elon Musk's growing power means for all of it.
The Mindset Behind the Nuclear Talk
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What you'll learn
- 1 (00:05) **Russian Oligarch’s Critique of Putin** - Konstantin Malofeev is asked to say one critical thing about Vladimir Putin. He avoids direct criticism, pivoting to blame NATO and the West.
- 2 (03:04) **Defending Putin’s Dictatorship** - Malofeev claims Putin is an elected leader supported by 70% of Russians, rejecting the label of dictator.
- 3 (08:47) **Justifying the Invasion of Ukraine** - Malofeev denies Russia illegally invaded Ukraine, claiming they were protecting allied republics.
- 4 (10:28) **Allegations of Ukrainian Corruption** - Malofeev accuses Zelensky of personal corruption, citing former officials who have left his office.
- 5 (14:25) **The Nuclear Threat** - Malofeev explicitly advocates for Russia to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine to force an end to the war.
- 6 (17:20) **The “One Critical Thing” Test** - Morgan finally extracts a criticism of Putin: Malofeev says Putin was wrong not to use nuclear weapons now.
- 7 (22:14) **Panel Reacts to the Interview** - Matt Tardia, Ryan Bodenheimer, and Jack Posobiec discuss Malofeev’s nuclear advocacy and Russian strategy.
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Guests on this episode
Show Notes
The relationship between Washington and Kyiv is entering increasingly uncertain territory, as Donald Trump’s approach to Russia raises fresh questions about the future of the war in Ukraine. In an exclusive interview with Piers Morgan last week, President Zelensky offered a stark assessment of America’s shifting position, warning that his country risks losing the support of its most important ally.
A decision by the Trump administration to waive sanctions on Russian energy has added to concerns over the direction of US policy.
At the same time, a dispute involving Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite network has opened another front in the deteriorating relationship. Zelensky has alleged that restrictions on the service left Ukraine more vulnerable to Russian attacks, while Musk has denied responsibility. Reports about the involvement of the White House have since raised further questions about the extent of American influence over Ukraine’s military capabilities.
With tensions mounting between Zelensky and senior figures in the Trump administration, the consequences could reach well beyond the battlefield. As the United States reassesses its commitment to Kyiv, Ukraine and its European allies face difficult questions about the future of the war, the strength of the Western alliance and the price of a peace deal with Moscow.
First, Piers Morgan is joined by Elon Musk’s former girlfriend Ashley St. Clair and Alex Gibney, the director of ‘Musk’ - a film that premiered at the Venice Film Festival, to discuss his potential legal battle with the trillionaire.
Then, Piers goes head-to-head with oligarch and media entrepreneur Konstantin Malofeev and invites his panel of US air force veteran and host of Max Afterburner, Ryan Bodenheimer, retired Green Beret and host of Speak The Truth, Matt Tardio, and former US Navy intelligence officer and author of the new book “socialist revolution”, Jack Posobiec, to discuss the latest on the relationship between the US, Russia and Ukraine.
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:02:15) Konstantin Malofeev
(00:22:05 Matt Tardio, Ryan Bodenheimer and Jack Posobiec
(00:48:21) ‘Musk’ director Alex Gibney and Ashley St Clair
(00:53:26) Ashley St Clair on being Elon’s ex
(00:59:37) Elon ‘needs to get help’
(01:03:18 Ian Bremmer
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