The Russian Defense Minister stated the risk of a war between nuclear powers due to Ukraine

Russian authorities have stated that the support of Ukraine by Western countries increases the risk of a “military confrontation between nuclear powers.”

This was said by Russian Deputy Defense Minister Andrey Belousov during a joint session of the defense ministries of Russia and Belarus, held in Minsk.

“The growing involvement of Western countries in the conflict in Ukraine creates global risks. The desire to inflict maximum damage on Russia could lead to a direct military confrontation between nuclear powers. We cannot ignore these threats. Changes in the military-political situation have necessitated adjustments to Russia’s nuclear deterrence policy,” Belousov emphasized.

He also mentioned that preparations are nearly complete for a treaty between Minsk and Moscow on military security guarantees and a new security concept for Russia and Belarus. He announced that next year, the two countries will hold joint strategic exercises called “Zapad.”

It is worth noting that in September, Vladimir Putin announced the tightening of Russia’s nuclear doctrine and lowering the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons.

Following this, the U.S. expressed readiness for negotiations with Russia, China, and North Korea on reducing nuclear arsenals. However, Russia rejected this, demanding that other disagreements, including those related to Ukraine, also be addressed in the talks.