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No indications Russia preparing to use nuclear weapons: White House

08.10.2022 08:00
The United States has no new intelligence on Russia's nuclear threats and no indications that Moscow could be preparing to imminently use nuclear weapons, the White House has said.
US President Joe Biden.
US President Joe Biden.Photo: EPA/WILL OLIVER

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Friday that there was no reason for Washington to change its nuclear posture, news agencies reported.

US President Joe Biden on Thursday warned that the risk of a nuclear “Armageddon” was the highest since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, as the Kremlin threatened to use nuclear force amid setbacks in its invasion of Ukraine. 

"He was reinforcing what we have been saying, which is how seriously we take these threats about nuclear weapons," Jean-Pierre said on Friday, as quoted by the Reuters news agency.

"We have not seen any reason to adjust our own strategic nuclear posture, nor do we have indications that Russia is preparing to imminently use nuclear weapons," she added.

She also told reporters: "If the Cuban Missile Crisis has taught us anything, it is the value of reducing nuclear risk and not brandishing it."

‘Direct threat of use of nuclear weapon’ for first time since 1962: Biden

Biden said at a fundraising event in New York on Thursday: “We have not faced the prospect of Armageddon since Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis.” 

He added: ”[For the] first time since the Cuban Missile Crisis, we have a direct threat of the use [of a] nuclear weapon if, in fact, things continue down the path they are going.”

Referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Biden said: "We've got a guy I know fairly well. He's not joking when he talks about the potential use of tactical nuclear weapons, or biological or chemical weapons, because his military is, you might say, significantly underperforming."

The US president also questioned Russia’s nuclear doctrine, saying that even the use of tactical nuclear weapons may spiral out of control, resulting in worldwide destruction, Polish state news agency PAP reported

"I don't think there is any such a thing as the ability to easily use a tactical nuclear weapon and not end up with Armageddon," Biden warned.

Putin on September 21 announced a partial call-up of reservists to fight in Ukraine, backed a plan to annex parts of Ukraine and said he would be ready to use nuclear weapons to defend Russia, warning the West he was “not bluffing,” Reuters has reported.

Saturday is day 227 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

(gs)

Source: IAR, PAP, Reuters