NATO Chief condemns Russia's nuclear drills as reckless
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The NATO chief conveyed his belief that Moscow understands clearly the ramifications of a potential nuclear conflict.
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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg addresses a press conference at the Warsaw Armoured Brigade in Warsaw, Poland, Tuesday, April 23, 2024.(AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool)
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday slammed Russia's plans for tactical nuclear weapons drills as reckless and dangerous.
The comments were delivered during an interview with the Italian newspaper la Repubblica.
Stoltenberg stated that the alliance has not observed any substantial shift in Russia's stance on matters relating to nuclear weapons, prompting NATO to maintain its position.
The NATO chief further conveyed his belief that Moscow understands clearly the ramifications of a potential nuclear conflict.
This comes after the Russian Ministry of Defense on Monday announced that the General Staff of the Russian armed forces had commenced preparations for exercises involving missile units of the Southern Military District, aviation, as well as naval forces.
According to the ministry, these exercises will focus on practicing various activities related to the preparation and deployment of non-strategic nuclear weapons.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov associated these drills with recent remarks made by certain Western officials regarding the potential deployment of NATO troops to Ukraine.
Read more: Russian nuclear drills response to 'shameless' West: Antonov
The Russian nuclear doctrine outlines potential scenarios in which Russia may theoretically employ nuclear weapons.
These circumstances include instances of an attack against Russia or its allies utilizing weapons of mass destruction, or in the event of an assault with conventional weapons that poses a threat to the country's existence, as stated in the document.
Experts and observers typically regard the US as a potential instigator of a first strike due to the aggressive nature of its foreign policy.
On the other hand, Russia and China are less likely to do so because their policies are inherently focused on stability, deterrence, and avoiding escalations that could lead to disastrous for their respective nations and the world at large.
On January 27, a report by The Telegraph uncovered several documents indicating the US intent to transfer nukes to UK, marking a first since 2008.
In March, a report by CNN revealed that the US began "preparing rigorously" since 2022 for Russia's potential use of a nuclear weapon in Ukraine.
Read more: Iran to change nuclear doctrine if 'Israel' threatens its existence
