Insiders revealed that US intelligence does not believe Russia will launch a nuclear attack, after the US allowed Ukraine to use aid weapons to attack deep into Russian territory and Moscow responded with the use of new ballistic missiles in the war.
Image believed to be the location of Russian nuclear missiles in the Vologda region
Reuters on November 28 quoted US intelligence sources as saying that the US decision to allow Ukraine to use aid weapons to attack deep into Russian territory does not increase the risk of a nuclear attack, despite Russian President Vladimir Putin's harsh statements.
Accordingly, a series of intelligence assessments over the past seven months have concluded that a nuclear escalation is unlikely given the US decision to ease restrictions on Ukraine's use of weapons.
That view has not changed after US President Joe Biden shifted the US stance on weapons this month, according to five anonymous US officials.
Ukraine studies new Russian missile
Last week, Russia launched a new ballistic missile in what analysts said was a warning to Washington and its European allies. But U.S. intelligence officials have not changed their assessment.
According to them, Russia is still trying to show proportionality to what Moscow sees as the US's escalatory moves, and the use of new missiles is part of that effort.
U.S. officials said the intelligence helped guide an often divisive debate in recent months at the White House over whether Washington’s easing of restrictions on Ukraine’s use of U.S. weapons was worth the risk.
The White House and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to comment on the report. The Kremlin did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In another development, Mr. Bruno Kahl, director of Germany's foreign intelligence agency, said that Russia's sabotage actions against Western targets could gradually make NATO consider activating the alliance's collective defense clause.
He predicted that Russia would continue to step up similar actions.
"Russia's widespread use of hybrid measures increases the risk that NATO will eventually consider invoking the collective defense clause under Article 5. Meanwhile, Russia's military buildup means that a direct military confrontation with NATO becomes a viable option for the Kremlin," he said.
Under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, if a NATO member is attacked, other members of the alliance are obligated to help that member respond.
NATO and Western intelligence agencies have warned that Russia is behind a growing number of hostile activities across the Euro-Atlantic region, from repeated cyber attacks to arson attacks. Russia denies all such allegations.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/my-van-khong-tin-nga-muon-tan-cong-hat-nhan-sau-nhung-dien-bien-moi-185241128094919881.htm
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