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Washington: Russia is unlikely to use its nuclear weapons, summit American intelligence despite the previous saber rattling from the Kremlin and eMoscow’s heavy losses in its invasion of Ukraine, an official said Thursday.
“It’s very unlikely, that’s our current assessment,” Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Nuclear tensions have escalated between Russia and the United States since the start of the conflict with Ukraine, with Putin repeatedly warning that Russia is ready to use its nuclear arsenal if necessary to defend its “territorial integrity”.
In February, Putin announced that Russia would suspend its participation in the new war START TreatyIt is the last remaining nuclear weapons agreement with the United States, which limits the number of strategic warheads each side can deploy.
Haines did not elaborate on the US intelligence community’s assessment.
US officials have said for months that they saw no indications that Russia was preparing to use nuclear weapons, but also warned that they remained vigilant.
Last month, a senior US diplomat said publicly that the US and its NATO allies need to stay alert for signs Russian President Vladimir Putin may be using tactics. nuclear weapon In a “managed” escalation of his war in Ukraine.
US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman noted Putin’s March 25 announcement that Russia was preparing to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus “is his effort to use this threat in an orderly manner.”
However, there were assurances from Moscow of nuclear restraint.
The Kremlin last week played down the notion that Russia might be preparing a nuclear weapons test, saying all nuclear-armed countries are observing a moratorium on nuclear weapons tests.
“It’s very unlikely, that’s our current assessment,” Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Nuclear tensions have escalated between Russia and the United States since the start of the conflict with Ukraine, with Putin repeatedly warning that Russia is ready to use its nuclear arsenal if necessary to defend its “territorial integrity”.
In February, Putin announced that Russia would suspend its participation in the new war START TreatyIt is the last remaining nuclear weapons agreement with the United States, which limits the number of strategic warheads each side can deploy.
Haines did not elaborate on the US intelligence community’s assessment.
US officials have said for months that they saw no indications that Russia was preparing to use nuclear weapons, but also warned that they remained vigilant.
Last month, a senior US diplomat said publicly that the US and its NATO allies need to stay alert for signs Russian President Vladimir Putin may be using tactics. nuclear weapon In a “managed” escalation of his war in Ukraine.
US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman noted Putin’s March 25 announcement that Russia was preparing to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus “is his effort to use this threat in an orderly manner.”
However, there were assurances from Moscow of nuclear restraint.
The Kremlin last week played down the notion that Russia might be preparing a nuclear weapons test, saying all nuclear-armed countries are observing a moratorium on nuclear weapons tests.
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