Reuters reports: US considers Russian nuclear strike 'unlikely'
According to US intelligence assessments, it appears improbable that Russia would resort to using nuclear weapons as a reaction to missile strikes from Ukraine. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The United States assesses that it is unlikely Russia will resort to nuclear weapons in response to Ukraine’s strikes on its territory using Western-supplied missiles, as reported by Reuters on Thursday, citing five individuals with knowledge of American intelligence.
For several months, U.S. officials engaged in a frequently contentious discussion regarding whether outgoing President Joe Biden should permit Ukraine to utilize American-made ATACMS missiles against internationally recognized Russian territory. Some voices within the White House, Pentagon, and State Department initially expressed concerns about potential “lethal retaliation” against American or allied military installations and diplomats. However, sources informed Reuters that “escalation concerns, including the nuclear fears, were overblown.”
“The assessments were consistent: The ATACMS weren’t going to change Russia’s nuclear calculus,” an anonymous congressional aide familiar with the intelligence shared with the news agency. Additional sources indicated that intelligence reports determined “nuclear escalation was unlikely,” and this assessment remained unchanged following Biden's decision to ease restrictions on Ukraine's use of ATACMS.
President Vladimir Putin has cautioned that employing Western-supplied long-range missiles would significantly “change the nature” of the conflict, asserting that such advanced weaponry could not be operated without direct involvement from NATO personnel. In a video statement on November 21, Putin declared that Russia “reserves the right” to target military installations outside of Ukraine and would “respond decisively and in kind in case of escalation of aggressive actions.”
This warning from Putin came just hours after Russia launched a strike on a weapons factory in the Ukrainian city of Dnepr with its new Oreshnik ballistic missile. The Russian Defense Ministry subsequently promised retaliation for any further Ukrainian attacks.
Earlier this month, Russia officially amended its nuclear doctrine, lowering the threshold for deploying nuclear weapons. The revised document stipulates that Moscow retains the right to use its nuclear arsenal in response to a nuclear or conventional attack that represents “a critical threat to its sovereignty and/or territorial integrity.”
Emily Johnson for TROIB News
For several months, U.S. officials engaged in a frequently contentious discussion regarding whether outgoing President Joe Biden should permit Ukraine to utilize American-made ATACMS missiles against internationally recognized Russian territory. Some voices within the White House, Pentagon, and State Department initially expressed concerns about potential “lethal retaliation” against American or allied military installations and diplomats. However, sources informed Reuters that “escalation concerns, including the nuclear fears, were overblown.”
“The assessments were consistent: The ATACMS weren’t going to change Russia’s nuclear calculus,” an anonymous congressional aide familiar with the intelligence shared with the news agency. Additional sources indicated that intelligence reports determined “nuclear escalation was unlikely,” and this assessment remained unchanged following Biden's decision to ease restrictions on Ukraine's use of ATACMS.
President Vladimir Putin has cautioned that employing Western-supplied long-range missiles would significantly “change the nature” of the conflict, asserting that such advanced weaponry could not be operated without direct involvement from NATO personnel. In a video statement on November 21, Putin declared that Russia “reserves the right” to target military installations outside of Ukraine and would “respond decisively and in kind in case of escalation of aggressive actions.”
This warning from Putin came just hours after Russia launched a strike on a weapons factory in the Ukrainian city of Dnepr with its new Oreshnik ballistic missile. The Russian Defense Ministry subsequently promised retaliation for any further Ukrainian attacks.
Earlier this month, Russia officially amended its nuclear doctrine, lowering the threshold for deploying nuclear weapons. The revised document stipulates that Moscow retains the right to use its nuclear arsenal in response to a nuclear or conventional attack that represents “a critical threat to its sovereignty and/or territorial integrity.”
Emily Johnson for TROIB News
