Nato’s Stoltenberg warns of ‘extreme penalties’ if Russia makes use of nuclear weapons

Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg has warned of “extreme penalties for Russia” if Vladimir Putin had been to make use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine, amid escalating rhetoric from Moscow and its allies.

“The nuclear rhetoric is harmful. It’s reckless,” Stoltenberg advised NBC’s Meet The Press on Sunday.

Any use of nuclear weapons would “change the character” of the Ukraine battle”, he added.

“A nuclear battle can’t be gained and mustn’t ever be fought. And this can be a message that Nato and Nato allies convey clearly to Russia,” he stated.

Stoltenberg’s remarks comply with a few of Putin’s sharpest rhetoric thus far on Moscow’s willingness to make use of nuclear power as its navy marketing campaign suffers defeats in Ukraine.

Western leaders and authorities officers imagine this risk has grown since Friday, when Putin formally annexed swaths of japanese and southern Ukraine and declared it Russian territory. Since then, Ukrainian forces say they’ve retaken the important thing railway hub of Lyman, in japanese Ukraine, simply south of Donetsk.

The defeat in Lyman has been met with widespread criticism in Russia of the nation’s navy command. A few of Putin’s most ardent supporters have demanded a extra strong response, with some nationalist hawks proposing the usage of a low-yield nuclear weapon.

Ramzan Kadyrov, the chief of Russia’s southern Chechnya area, on Saturday stated a change of technique was wanted “proper as much as the declaration of martial regulation within the border areas and the usage of low-yield nuclear weapons”.

Tactical nuclear weapons usually have a tenth of the explosive potential of conventional nuclear weapons and are meant overcome standard forces on a battlefield. Russia has about 2,000 of the weapons, which could be delivered as warheads on standard missiles such because the Iskander that it has already deployed in Ukraine, but in addition by floor forces, fighter jets or naval gunships.

Stoltenberg additionally warned in opposition to assaults on Nato international locations’ infrastructure, as western authorities examine leaks from the Nord Stream pipeline final week that they imagine had been brought on by sabotage.

“Any deliberate assault on a vital Nato infrastructure will probably be met with a agency and united response from Nato,” he stated.

Stoltenberg stated the west’s greatest response to Putin was to proceed doing what it was doing now: offering Ukraine with the monetary and navy assist it wanted to re-take vital territories, reminiscent of Lyman.

“That’s the easiest way to make sure that these territories — they’re a part of Ukraine and that Ukraine is definitely capable of liberate and retake occupied territory.”

The advance in Lyman “demonstrates that the Ukrainians are making progress, are capable of push again the Russian forces due to their braveness, due to their bravery and expertise,” Stoltenberg stated.

“However, after all, additionally due to the superior weapons that the USA and different allies are offering. And that is making a distinction on the battlefield every single day.”

Further reporting by Reuters