A Russian state television station threatened nuclear strikes against the United States in response to U.S. involvement in the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Making an appearance on the Russia 1 channel, Igor Korotchenko, editor of the “National Defense” newspaper, suggested that unprecedented action could be taken by Russia against the United States.
“The most important message we should send to the Americans is that we will not wage war with you in Europe,” Korotchenko said in a translated video shared on X, formerly Twitter, by Anton Gerashchenko, a Ukrainian internal affairs adviser.
Korotchenko also stated, “In response to your attacks on Russian military or civilian facilities, the first strike will be a preventative limited strike against targets on the territory of the United States of America.”
Korotchenko also said Russian officials and “experts” would discuss “the use and permissibility of tactical nuclear weapons, what goals and what tactics we will use.”
The nuclear threat from Russia’s state television comes after Russia announced last week that it had put its Sarmat strategic missile system on combat duty. Russia’s Sarmat strategic missile system is capable of reaching the United States.
In response to the threat, Gerashchenko stated, “Attention, United States! Russian propagandists threaten with nuclear strikes on U.S. territory.”
According to Newsweek, Korotchenko’s threat on Russia’s state television appears to have been due to warnings by NATO against Russian aggression and comments by Ben Hodges, a senior NATO member for logistics.
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Hodges has urged Ukraine’s allies to provide the country with the necessary weapons, such as Army Tactical Missile Systems, that would allow Ukraine to retake Crimea from Russia. Ukraine would then presumably be able to conduct effective strikes on the Crimean peninsula, according to Hodges.
Korotchenko has claimed that the U.S. might consider strikes against Russian forces in the Black Sea, Crimea, and Syria. However, according to Newsweek, while the United States has been the number one source of military provision for Ukraine, the United States has avoided direct conflict with Russia and has not made threats of military strikes against Russia.
