Russia says that if the nuclear war broke out, everyone would go to heaven or hell

Russian President Vladimir Putin's press officer tried to clarify last week's remarks by the Russian president in which he said: "As martyrs, we will go to heaven" if a nuclear attack were to take place.

Dimitri Peskov said Monday that Putin did not mean that the Russians would go to heaven, but spoke in an "allegory", reported the Russian news agency Tass.

"He was not talking about the sky or where we will go or they will go," Peskov said. The press secretary then underlined what he said was Putin's broader view that Russia would never be the one to lead a "preemptive strike".

Russian President Vladimir Putin participates in the plenary session of the 15th annual meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club in Sochi on October 18th
ALEXEI DRUZHININ / AFP / Getty Images

"It means we will never be the first to attack anyone. That's what the president said, "explained the secretary. "But if we are attacked, then everyone will go where it should – to heaven or hell, or somewhere else. That's what he meant, the rest was an allegory, "he said.

The Russian leader made his first remarks Thursday at the Valdai Discussion Club's annual conference in Sochi, Russia, when he was questioned about a possible nuclear strike against his country.

"The abuser must know that retaliation is inevitable, that it will be destroyed. We are victims of aggression. As martyrs, we will go to heaven, "Putin told the audience. "And they're just going to die," he said with a smile as the audience laughed.

Putin's comments came before President Donald Trump's announcement of the weekend that the United States would leave the 1987 Mid-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Moscow.

This photo of December 8, 1987 shows President Ronald Reagan with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev during the welcome ceremonies at the White House on the first day of their summit on disarmament. After a three-day summit in Washington, the two superpower leaders signed the Mid-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty as part of a first attempt to reverse the nuclear arms race JEROME DELAY / AFP / Getty Images

"Russia has violated the agreement.It has been several years since it was violated," said the president Saturday following a rally in Nevada. "And we will not let them violate a nuclear deal and go out and make weapons and we are not allowed to do that."

The agreement, which was signed between former President Ronald Reagan and Secretary General Mikhail Gorbachev of the former Soviet Union, prevented the United States from developing new nuclear weapons. Trump, however, said Washington would start developing new weapons unless Russia and China agree not to own or produce more. China is not officially part of the pact.

Moscow responded to Trump's threat, saying "it would be a very dangerous step." Germany also reacted, calling this decision "regrettable". But the United Kingdom, a close ally of the United States, said it was "absolutely solved" Washington.