Russia Warns Of 'Huge Risk' Of Nuclear War As U.S. Increases Involvement In Ukraine

Russia warns of ‘huge’ risks of sliding into nuclear war

RT

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned that any conflict between nuclear states is likely to escalate into an all-out nuclear war, and thus should be avoided at all costs.

“Аny war between nuclear powers is unacceptable. Еven if someone decides to start it using conventional means, there will be a huge risk of it escalating into a nuclear one,” Lavrov stated during a press conference on Thursday.

The diplomat was asked about Moscow and Washington’s joint efforts to reduce their strategic capabilities. Lavrov responded by pointing out that in September 2021 the US had essentially frozen the bilateral talks on reaching an agreement on the limitation of strategic offensive arms, long before Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine.

“It’s not hard to figure out what their reasoning was,” Lavrov noted. He admitted, however, that Washington and Moscow’s responsibilities as the two largest nuclear powers in the world do not change, and recalled a joint statement made by Russian and American leaders that a nuclear war cannot be won by anyone and therefore must not be allowed to start.

The minister added that Russia was willing to take that statement further and stressed that any conflict between nuclear states is unacceptable, as even a conventional war has a “huge” risk of escalating into a nuclear altercation.

“This is also why we are so anxiously watching the rhetoric the West spews out accusing us of preparing some alleged provocations using weapons of mass destruction,” Lavrov said, noting that the West, including the USA, France and the UK, are doing everything to increase their almost direct participation in the conflict in Ukraine, where he says they are essentially waging war against Russia through the hands of the Ukrainians.

“This is a dangerous trend,” Lavrov warned.

The threat of a nuclear war has been a hot topic recently since Putin vowed in late September to defend Russia’s territory and people using “all the forces and resources we have.” His remarks were then widely interpreted by Western pundits and officials as a veiled nuclear warning. Putin clarified his statement later by saying that Moscow has not even mentioned tactical nuclear weapons, let alone threatened to use atomic weapons.

US and NATO directly involved in Ukraine conflict – Lavrov

RT

The US and NATO are directly participating in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a media conference on Thursday, accusing the West of seeking to completely destroy Russia.

Lavrov pointed out that Washington and its allies have essentially announced to the public that they are not just seeking Russia’s defeat on the battlefield but want it “destroyed altogether as a player.” There is even some discussion on how they could divide up Russian territories among themselves, the diplomat added. 

“Don’t say that the US and NATO are not participating in this war. You are directly involved,” Lavrov stated, noting that the West is not only supplying Kiev with weapons, whose sole purpose is to kill Russians but is also actively training the Ukrainian military in countries like the UK, Germany, and Italy. 

He added that aside from a significant number of mercenaries, there is also an ever-increasing number of Western instructors who are working directly on the ground in Ukraine and are showing troops how to fire the “trinkets” that are being supplied to the country.

According to a report by CNN, the Biden administration is currently considering a dramatic expansion of the training the US military provides Kiev. The plan could include instructing as many as 2,500 Ukrainian soldiers a month at a base in Germany, the channel claimed, citing multiple US officials.

Washington has already committed close to $20 billion in security assistance to Kiev since the beginning of the conflict in late February. 

Last month, Moscow summoned the British Ambassador to Russia over claims that the UK had provided training to Ukrainian forces that attacked Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in Crimea in late October. The British Defense Ministry, however, has denied the allegations.