Russia is expanding its nuclear arsenal, US defence secretary says
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Mr Austin (above) spoke at a ceremony for the incoming commander of US Strategic Command, which oversees the United States' nuclear arsenal.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Nebraska - Russia is expanding and modernising its nuclear arsenal, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Friday, at a time when Russian President Vladimir Putin, faced with setbacks in Ukraine
Mr Austin’s comments are in line with a recent Pentagon policy document on nuclear arms.
Russia has the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons in the world, with close to 6,000 warheads, according to experts.
Together, Russia and the United States together hold around 90 per cent of the world’s nuclear warheads - enough to destroy the planet many times over.
“Russia is also modernising and expanding its nuclear arsenal,” Mr Austin said, at a ceremony for the incoming commander of US Strategic Command, which oversees the United States nuclear arsenal.
“And as the Kremlin continues its cruel and unprovoked war of choice against Ukraine, the whole world has seen Putin engage in deeply irresponsible nuclear sabre-rattling,” Mr Austin said.
Russia has said that it will pay special attention to building infrastructure for its nuclear forces in 2023.
Earlier on Friday, Mr Putin vowed at a news conference that any country that dared attack Russia with nuclear weapons would be wiped from the face of the earth.
Mr Putin said Russia had no mandate to launch a preventative first nuclear strike but that Russia’s advanced hypersonic weapons would ensure Russia could respond forcefully if it ever came under attack.
Mr Putin on Sept 21 warned the West he was not bluffing when he said he would be ready to use nuclear weapons to defend Russia. On Sept 30, he said the US had created a precedent by dropping two atomic bombs on Japan in 1945.
Russian officials say the West has repeatedly misinterpreted Kremlin statements.
The US has warned Russia over the consequences of any use of nuclear weapons.
Russia and US had been due to hold talks in recent weeks on their existing New Start treaty, which limits the number of warheads each can deploy.
But Moscow pulled out on the eve of the meeting, accusing the US of toxic anti-Russian behaviour and trying to manipulate the treaty to its advantage. REUTERS
