Nuclear weapons can place the Russian Federation near Washington – NYT

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Russia may place nuclear weapons near the United States.

This is discussed in an article by The New York Times, UA reports.

Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to expand the sphere of influence of the Russian Federation in Eastern Europe and obtain written commitments from the United States and NATO that the Alliance will not expand at the expense of post-Soviet countries. Otherwise, Moscow will resort to measures that will be keenly felt in Europe and the United States.

Russia is suggesting to the West that it could deploy nuclear weapons closer to the mainland United States, which would reduce the time it takes to detect and counter a threat to just five minutes. This could lead to a confrontation of the level of the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, when the world was closest to a nuclear war.

The Russian leader warned repeatedly last year that if the West crossed the ever-changing red line that Putin sees as threatening Russia’s security, he would order a surprise response.

At the same time, the publication notes that such hints can only be Putin’s empty threats.

“This could all be bluster, part of a Kremlin scare campaign and a way to remind President Biden that while he wants to focus America’s attention on competition and relations with China, Mr. Putin is still capable of causing huge upheavals,” the publication said.

Earlier, the representative of the US State Department for Ukraine (2017-2019) Kurt Volker assessed the possibility of a new Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Read also: Putin cannot be allowed to resurrect Soviet Union: U.S. Senator