Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov stated that Russia does not threaten anyone with nuclear weapons, but warns against interference in the special military operation in Ukraine. Ryabkov, speaking during a seminar in Moscow on Friday, said: "We have noted Washington's nervous reaction to (Russian President) Vladimir Putin's instructions to move Russian deterrent forces to a special combat duty regime. We clarify that we do not threaten anyone with nuclear weapons, and the criteria for their use are stipulated in the military doctrine as outlined in the document 'Fundamentals of Russia's Policy in the Field of Nuclear Deterrence' dated June 2, 2020," according to Russian media.
He added: "At the same time, we warn of the risks of Western intervention in the special military operation in Ukraine, and we urge the U.S. administration to avoid a situation that may lead to direct military confrontation with Russia." Ryabkov pointed out that Washington has already destroyed the traditional system of arms control and deliberately lowers the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons, posing a threat to Russian security, while also updating its "destabilizing" nuclear arsenal.
Ryabkov emphasized that "open confrontation with the United States and NATO, which may escalate into direct military conflict, is not in our interest. We hope the Biden administration realizes the dangers of uncontrolled escalation in the conflict in Ukraine." He described Russian-American relations as being in a "very deplorable state," at a level "close to zero, comparable to the worst moments of the Cold War." He affirmed that Russia will respond appropriately, including asymmetrically, to Washington's approach aimed at exerting maximum pressure on Moscow.
The Russian special military operation in Ukraine continues as the Russian army continues to bombard Ukrainian forces. Following Russian President Vladimir Putin's threats of using nuclear weapons in Ukraine on Wednesday, warning that these threats are not a bluff, American sources revealed that the United States privately communicated with Moscow, warning the Russian leadership of the dire consequences that would follow the use of nuclear weapons, according to U.S. officials. According to the Washington Post, the Biden administration has generally decided to keep warnings about the nature of the U.S. response deliberately vague, leading the Kremlin to be concerned about how Washington might respond, as said by the officials.
