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NATO countries are preparing for the possibility that Russia could actually start a nuclear war. A number of steps have been taken. Alexey Izhak, head of the department of the National Institute for Strategic Studies, expert on international security issues, stated this on the FREEDOM TV channel.
“The nuclear doctrines of NATO countries are something that is changing somewhere in the middle of NATO at the document level, but no one knows it. But outwardly, several actions were taken that say that without noise, without political statements, but NATO countries are preparing for the fact that Russia could start a nuclear war. When it became clear that nuclear threats from Russia were serious, that it was not just a drunken Medvedev who said this, but that they really think so, that it is possible to frighten with nuclear weapons. Two actions were taken,” he said.
According to the expert, the problem was that the United States and its allies discovered that they did not have low-yield nuclear weapons with which to respond to a low-yield provocative Russian nuclear attack. Then two doctrinal steps were taken.
“Low-yield warheads were deployed on Ohio-class submarines near Europe. Russia was shown that if there is a provocative use of tactical nuclear weapons, then there is an equal response that will not lead to escalation, but Russia will receive a response. There is such a remedy. The second is F-35 aircraft (very effective for carrying out strikes) with upgraded B61-12 bombs. These bombs, which are now being deployed in Europe instead of the old ones, are good for destroying objects such as the palaces of Putin and Medvedev and other crazy dictators in general. This is the second act,” Izsak said.
In addition, the expert added that Ukraine is testing those types of weapons that can protect against nuclear weapons.
“Before the start of this phase of the war, it was believed that if Russia began to launch nuclear strikes, provoking or punishing as part of intimidation, it would use Iskander-M and Kinzhal missiles (the same Iskander, but launched from an airplane) ). Both things go astray. If both go astray, then there is a high risk of use. Even Ukraine can shoot down using the weapons of its partners, and if Russia tries to carry out such strikes against NATO countries, then both the launchers and the aircraft themselves will be destroyed accordingly,” he explained.
Izhak clarified that this created an element of uncertainty; Russia already understands that it does not have a tool for easily delivering a tactical nuclear strike. All tools are risky.
“It is obvious that preparations are underway, it is not related to [Medvedev’s] drunken statements, there is simply no analogue of Medvedev in NATO, such politicians are simply not needed there. Therefore, no one is making bad statements, but preparations are underway,” summed up the head of the department at the National Institute for Strategic Studies.
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Let us recall that in his message to the Federal Assembly on February 29, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that “strategic nuclear forces are in a state of full readiness for guaranteed use.” Moreover, he promised to soon show the operation of Sarmat missiles.
According to Izhak, the first idea to intimidate with nuclear weapons appeared after the Munich speech of Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2007. The Kremlin then began to disguise this intimidation as deterrence. Russia is very weak in conventional weapons; it is unable to fight China and NATO countries without using nuclear weapons.
