U.S. officials have said there are concerns that Russian President Vladimir Putin will resort to a demonstration nuclear explosion. The Kremlin has stressed that it will only use nuclear weapons in accordance with Russia’s nuclear doctrine.
On Saturday, September 17, The New York Times quoted U.S. officials as saying that the Russian president may use tactical nuclear weapons, perhaps in the Black Sea, the Arctic Ocean, or in demonstrations and explosions in Ukraine.
But U.S. officials told the paper there was no evidence that Putin was transferring nuclear weapons or preparing to conduct any nuclear tests. They also said the Russian president was considering some sort of additional military mobilization in response to the recent huge setback for Russian forces in Ukraine.
Intelligence agency debate
According to the newspaper, a senior intelligence official said there had been debate within the U.S. intelligence community about “whether Putin thought such a move (use of nuclear weapons) or if he took it as a precaution would risk putting Russia in conflict with the most powerful Countries that need it, especially China, are isolated from each other.”
US President Joe Biden warned Moscow not to use nuclear weapons in an interview with CBS. Biden also said: “If Moscow were to use nuclear weapons in the war against Ukraine, it would change the face of war in a way that has not happened since World War II.”
The New York Times pointed out that recent statements by the United States indicate that there is a debate within the US military establishment on how to respond to a nuclear explosion demonstration or nuclear test conducted by Russia.
Responding to warnings from the United States, the Kremlin said on Saturday, September 17, that Russia “will use nuclear weapons solely on the basis of its nuclear doctrine.” RIA Novosti quoted Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko as saying: “Humanity is on the verge of falling into a nuclear conflict.” The news agency also said Washington was pushing Europe to go to war with Russia on Ukrainian soil.
Medvedev warns
Two weeks ago, the US “Newsweek” published an article saying that former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev issued a stern nuclear warning to the United States and its allies. He accused them of wanting to use the military conflict in Ukraine to disrupt Russia while keeping it out of the political sphere.
In a report, the magazine quoted part of Medvedev’s messages on Telegram after the funeral of former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, saying: “These are Anglo- Sordid dreams of Saxon twisters who go to sleep with a secret idea of how to unravel our nation, always dreaming of how to divide us.”
Medvedev also said that such an attempt is very dangerous and should not be underestimated. He also said, “These dreamers are missing the simple truth that the violent disintegration of nuclear powers is always like a game of chess with death, and when the game is over, it will be like the day of the annihilation of mankind.”