CIA Director William Burns testified alongside Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines during a House Intelligence Committee hearing on diversity within the intelligence community. Speaking in Washington on October 27, 2021, Burns expressed concerns over the potential use of nuclear weapons by Russia amid its ongoing conflict with Ukraine. He highlighted that in the fall of 2022, there was a genuine risk of Russia deploying tactical nuclear weapons on the battlefield.
Burns, in a conversation with U.K. Intelligence Chief Richard Moore, emphasized that the West should not be intimidated by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s threats, labeling Putin as a bully prone to saber-rattling. Burns recounted his end-of-2022 meeting with Russian intelligence counterpart Sergey Naryshkin, where he underscored to Russia the severe consequences of any nuclear escalation.
The Kremlin’s nuclear rhetoric has intensified, especially after Ukraine’s offensive in Russia’s Kursk region in early August. This incursion, according to Burns, has lifted Ukrainian troops’ morale while exposing vulnerabilities within Russia’s military. Russia’s official nuclear policy, which is fundamentally defensive, allows for nuclear use in response to mass destruction attacks or existential threats.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov recently indicated ongoing efforts to amend Russia’s nuclear doctrine, although he refrained from providing specifics. These developments come as Russia frequently signals the potential employment of nuclear weapons since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The White House did not immediately comment on Burns’ statements, reflecting the sensitive nature of the geopolitical tensions and the significant implications of nuclear threats in the conflict.
Original Story https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/07/cia-director-russia-ukraine-war-nuclear-weapon-risk.html
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