Lavrov says Russia's nuclear arsenal a reminder for West

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that having nuclear weapons defends Russia from external security dangers and acts as a continual warning to the West about the risk of nuclear war.

While talking to the state news magazine The International Affairs, Lavrov said, “The possession of nuclear arms is today the only possible response to some of the significant external threats to the security of our country.”

Lavrov made the recent remark following Moscow's military escalation which has risen sharply since Russian forces entered Ukraine last year.

He warned that the United States and its NATO allies risk ending up in “a situation of direct armed confrontation of nuclear powers”.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev stated last month that Moscow would have to use nuclear weapons if Ukraine's counteroffensive against Russian forces proved successful.

NATO countries and the US provide the majority of Ukraine's military assistance in its conflict with Russia.

According to Al Jazeera, US President Joe Biden described the possibility of Russia utilising tactical nuclear weapons as "real".

“We believe such a development should be prevented. That’s why we have to remind about the existence of high military and political risks and send sobering signals to our opponents", Lavrov added.

"The Western military alliance has not detected any changes to Russia’s nuclear force stance, and therefore, NATO did not need to reciprocate in its nuclear posture", said NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg.

On Thursday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest allies, warned that he would use the nuclear weapons that Russia had deployed in his country if faced with external aggression.

One of Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest supporters, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko warned on Thursday that if his nation came under external attack, he would use the nuclear weapons that Russia had stationed there.

“There can be only one threat – aggression against our country. If aggression against our country starts from Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, we will respond instantly with everything we have”, Lukashenko said in an interview.

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank said earlier this year that Russia’s increasing nuclear war rhetoric was part of an “information operation” focused on discouraging Ukraine and its Western supporter.

“Russian invocations of nuclear threats and nuclear doctrine are part of an information operation meant to discourage Ukraine and the West but do not represent any material Russian intent to employ nuclear weapons,” the think tank said in an assessment.