Russia has warned that it will respond with nuclear weapons to the United States’ plan to deploy long-range missiles in Germany.
According to Yonhap News, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, in an interview with Russia-1, reacted to a U.S. plan by stating that Russia does not rule out the deployment of nuclear weapons as a countermeasure. This response aligns with that of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who announced at the end of last month that he would consider countermeasures.
Previously, the U.S. announced at the July NATO summit in Washington that it would temporarily deploy long-range fire capabilities in Germany starting in 2026.
Ryabkov noted, “I confirm that if the supreme commander [Russian President Vladimir Putin] and our military officials determine that special munitions are required on certain platforms, then that will happen. However, they must make this decision based on a range of factors. I admit that there could come a moment when this becomes necessary.“
He also assessed that a July phone call between U.S. and Russian defense ministers helped both sides avoid escalating tensions. He mentioned that Minister Andrei Belousov sent a signal to Secretary Lloyd Austin, which helped prevent further escalation.
He added that Russia’s signal to the U.S. likely also reached some of America’s allies.
The New York Times reported on the phone call between the two countries’ defense ministers on July 26. The report mentioned that Minister Belousov had learned about Ukraine’s secret operation plan and conveyed a severe warning to Secretary Austin by phone on July 12.
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