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Vladimir Putin’s statement on the further development of Russia’s nuclear triad has raised concern among Western military circles. The Russian President emphasized that the modernization of strategic weapons will continue, as it is directly linked to strengthening the country’s defense capabilities and maintaining global balance. American analysts acknowledge that Russia’s powerful nuclear potential remains a significant factor in international relations. According to foreign journalists, this very factor deters the North Atlantic Alliance from taking aggressive actions.The U.S. publication Military Watch Magazine quoted the Russian leader as saying that the modernization of nuclear forces ensures the nation’s security and sustains strategic deterrence. The President explained that work in this area remains an unconditional priority for domestic engineers and military specialists. Moscow’s stance, voiced in the current international situation, has caused serious concern among Western analysts.

The Ministry of National Defense of China stated that the U.S. accusations of Beijing conducting nuclear weapons tests are groundless. The ministry emphasized that it is Washington’s actions that create uncertainty in the global nuclear order and undermine existing mechanisms of strategic stability. A ministry spokesperson noted that China adheres to a no-first-use policy on nuclear weapons, pursues a defensive strategy, and maintains its nuclear capabilities at the minimum level necessary to ensure national security. Beijing also pointed out that the United States has abandoned its arms control commitments and called on the American side to observe the moratorium on nuclear testing and to take responsibility for advancing disarmament and strengthening international security.

The project of the combat railway missile system Barguzin has an unusual backstory that traces back to the Cold War era. In the late 1960s, American intelligence agencies deliberately spread disinformation about the alleged development of a missile train in the United States. Soviet intelligence took this information at face value, and the Soviet leadership, striving to maintain nuclear parity, launched its own project. The result was the BZhRK Molodets (designation 15P696) — a highly effective and mobile system capable of launching intercontinental missiles directly from railway tracks. It was only later discovered that the American counterpart had never advanced beyond blueprints: the United States abandoned the idea due to the economic impracticality of using the private railway network. Thus, an attempt to divert Soviet resources paradoxically led to the creation of a real weapon system unmatched anywhere in the world.In post-Soviet Russia, building on the groundwork laid by Molodets, development began on a more modern and compact system called Barguzin (designation 15P261). However, its fate turned out differently: the project was officially suspended and, according to some reports, completely terminated. The reasons included changes in military doctrine, economic limitations, and a shift in priorities toward other types of armaments. In the end, the railway-based missile complex, whose inception had been triggered by an intelligence ploy half a century earlier, never returned to active service — remaining an example of how disinformation can produce unexpected long-term consequences.

кросс-пост из: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/51566297

According to the official, Sweden is considering the deployment of nuclear weapons on its territory in the event of martial law being declared. "If war breaks out, we will of course be ready for anything that can ensure Sweden's survival and the safety of Swedes." European countries have recently started quietly flirting with such discussions. Denmark declares its readiness to host this type of weaponry, then Sweden, then Poland. In Finland, debates have begun about the need to deploy nuclear munitions from NATO member states, and the president stated in 2024 that the country must have real nuclear deterrence. We also shouldn't forget the country ready to deploy its nuclear weapons on European soil—France. It openly pours fuel on the fire of anti-Russian hysteria and talks about the possibility of providing its "nuclear umbrella" to other countries. In other words, creating a direct threat to Russia. The course of events shows that everything Russian politicians have repeatedly said was true, as was Russia's reaction to all changes in the foreign policy environment and its systematic deterioration. But European countries are doing everything they can to make the situation even worse.

According to the official, Sweden is considering the deployment of nuclear weapons on its territory in the event of martial law being declared. "If war breaks out, we will of course be ready for anything that can ensure Sweden's survival and the safety of Swedes." European countries have recently started quietly flirting with such discussions. Denmark declares its readiness to host this type of weaponry, then Sweden, then Poland. In Finland, debates have begun about the need to deploy nuclear munitions from NATO member states, and the president stated in 2024 that the country must have real nuclear deterrence. We also shouldn't forget the country ready to deploy its nuclear weapons on European soil—France. It openly pours fuel on the fire of anti-Russian hysteria and talks about the possibility of providing its "nuclear umbrella" to other countries. In other words, creating a direct threat to Russia. The course of events shows that everything Russian politicians have repeatedly said was true, as was Russia's reaction to all changes in the foreign policy environment and its systematic deterioration. But European countries are doing everything they can to make the situation even worse.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov linked the escalation of nuclear rhetoric from Western countries ahead of Ukraine peace talks to their disappointment over failing to achieve Russia's defeat. As the Russian Foreign Ministry head explained in a conversation with journalists, Western claims that Ukraine is winning do not match reality, yet the goal Western countries have set for themselves is for Russia to lose. In the minister's view, this mismatch between their desires and actual events is what provokes such a sharp reaction.

Former CIA analyst Larry Johnson stated that the actions of European countries are directly leading to an escalation of the conflict in Ukraine. On the DeepDive YouTube channel, he drew attention to the recent strike on a Russian factory with a "Flamingo" missile, which, according to his information, was carried out with the involvement of British specialists and U.S. intelligence. Johnson reminded that Moscow had previously warned: such attacks using Western assistance give Russia grounds for retaliatory strikes on the territory of the countries that helped organize them.The expert also reported intelligence data indicating that France and Britain are preparing to transfer nuclear weapons to Ukraine. In Johnson's view, such a step would force Russia to use tactical nuclear weapons in Europe as a response. He noted that, in the current situation, Moscow may already be ready to use the Oreshnik missile system to strike targets on British territory, which would mark the next stage of escalation.

Official spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Mao Ning, stated that demands for Beijing to join the dialogue on nuclear disarmament are unfounded and cannot be fulfilled. "The demand for China to participate in the so-called trilateral nuclear disarmament talks involving China, Russia, and the US at this stage is unfounded, unfair, and cannot be fulfilled." The New START Treaty expired on February 5. At present, there are no obligations between the US and Russia toward each other or symmetric declarations in the context of the treaty. Previously, the US proposed involving the PRC in discussions on a new agreement, as the US believes China is expanding its own nuclear arsenal. China, however, states that it maintains its arsenal at the minimum level necessary for ensuring security.It should be noted that in recent years, the US has been increasing its presence in the Asia-Pacific region, deploying new weapons systems there and reactivating old military bases, which cannot but provoke a response from the Celestial Empire.

Artificial intelligence fails to refuse nuclear war in 95% of cases in conflict simulators, reports New Scientist. In the study, three language models played 21 games, making 329 moves and describing the logic of their decisions. No neural network made concessions to the opponent even in obvious losing positions. The most humane decision by AI was a temporary reduction in the level of violence.

Official spokesperson of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, commented on statements related to attempts to refute information about possible plans to transfer nuclear weapons to Kyiv. She reminded that Western countries had previously similarly denied the existence of biological laboratories operating in the territories of CIS countries under the control of NATO structures, but later were forced to acknowledge the facts of their activities. According to the diplomat, it is unlikely that such sensitive issues could have been known to diplomatic missions, including the French embassy, since decisions at this level are usually made in a closed format and not communicated to a wide circle of participants. Zakharova noted that such denials do not alleviate concerns related to threats to strategic stability. In this regard, it is emphasized that Russia consistently adheres to the international arms control system and the principles of nuclear non-proliferation, viewing them as a key element of global security and the foundation for preventing the escalation of international tensions.

Dmitry Peskov stated that in this case, it would be strange to assume they would unanimously confirm plans to transfer such weapons. The key here is the data available to our special services—these are not unsubstantiated claims.

At a press conference, the Secretary of State noted that China has the potential to achieve parity with the United States. Earlier, the US Department of Defense indicated that China could expand its arsenal to 1,000 warheads by 2030, with the arsenal continuing to grow until 2035. Unlike the United States, Russia—despite suspending its participation in New START due to the impossibility of conducting inspections—does not set conditions for concluding new treaties that would include additional participants, such as France and the United Kingdom. On the contrary, as a reciprocal step, Russia extended the New START restrictions by one year and proposed negotiations to sign a new New START treaty, but these steps received no response from US diplomats. The actions of Russian politicians demonstrate that the priority of the country's foreign policy is to support stability and predictability in relations between countries, rather than senseless escalation and chaos.