Kathrine Frich
Russia’s top nuclear official has issued a stark warning, claiming the country’s nuclear “shield” must be urgently improved in response to what he calls “colossal threats.”
Russia’s top nuclear official has issued a stark warning, claiming the country’s nuclear “shield” must be urgently improved in response to what he calls “colossal threats.”
Nuclear Shield Under Pressure
Alexei Likhachev, the head of Rosatom, said that the current global climate poses existential danger to Russia.
He followed up by suggesting that “Moscow’s nuclear arsenal must become even more capable and threatening in the years ahead.”
A Sword as Well as a Shield
According to Mirror he was speaking to state-run media.
Likhachev declared that Russia’s nuclear arsenal isn’t just defensive, it’s a weapon of intimidation.
“The shield is also a sword,” he said, adding that the Kremlin will “push to modernize and expand its atomic forces.”
No specific upgrades were mentioned, but the tone left little room for doubt: Moscow is preparing for escalation.
Putin Lowers the Bar for Nuclear Use
The warning comes just weeks after Vladimir Putin signed a revised nuclear doctrine.
Under the new rules, even a conventional military strike from a country backed by a nuclear power could justify a nuclear response from Russia.
This represents one of the most aggressive postures Moscow has taken since the Cold War.
End of Restraint
Russia has also dropped its self-imposed ban on deploying intermediate-range nuclear missiles.
The Kremlin blames the West, citing U.S. plans to place long-range missiles in Europe next year, including Typhoon and Dark Eagle systems in Germany.
Moscow now says it sees “no limitations” on its deployments.
A New Arms Race on European Soil.
Intermediate-range missiles are back on the table.
The missiles were once banned by the INF Treaty, but it collapsed in 2019, following mutual accusations between the U.S. and Russia.
This has paved the way for a new arms race on European soil.
Belarus Deployment Raises Regional Fears
Putin has also announced that a new generation of missiles will be deployed in Belarus later this year.
The move places nuclear-capable systems directly on NATO’s doorstep, and signals a growing willingness to use allied territory as a launch platform.
