“Russia and terrorists threaten the security of the United States.” What else did the Pentagon chief say?

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stated that Russia’s nuclear arsenal poses serious challenges for the United States, now and in the future. He stated this at a hearing in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, May 11, where the White House’s request for a budget for military needs for 2023 was discussed. DEA News”.

“Our nuclear triad remains the main pillar of national defense. “Maintaining strategic stability in the world, particularly in light of Russia’s significant nuclear capabilities and China’s expansion of nuclear capabilities, requires the United States to maintain a safe and effective nuclear capability,” the Pentagon chief said.

According to him, Russia and China “present the biggest security challenges for the United States today. Austin added that the threat to the United States also comes from North Korea, Iran and terrorist groups.

“Russia’s nuclear arsenal poses a serious challenge now and in the future,” he said.

From the data of the US 2023 defense budget, it follows that the US authorities intend to deploy their nuclear weapons in the UK. It is assumed that there should be an infrastructure for the storage of “special weapons”.

According to various estimates, in general, in the European theater of operations, the United States has from 100 to 150 nuclear bombs for use by tactical aircraft. It also states that about 100 B6 hydrogen bombs could be placed at US military bases in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy and Turkey. Guard.

Russian “deterrent forces”

Against the background in March 2022 special military operation In Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov to assign deterrent forces a “special combat mission”.

He explained this by the fact that “high-level officials of leading NATO countries also allow offensive statements against our country.” The White House later said in response that NATO did not threaten Russia, and described Putin’s order as a response to “non-existent threats”.

On May 10, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko announced that the possibility of using nuclear weapons is in Russia’s military doctrine.

This document states that the use of nuclear weapons is possible when reliable information appears on Russia or its allies about the launch of ballistic missiles, the use of nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction by the enemy, the impact on a critical state or military. facilities, aggression against Russia using conventional weapons threatens the very existence of the state. The foundations of Russia’s state policy in the field of nuclear deterrence were adopted by presidential decree in June 2020.

The Pentagon chief said in a speech today that a Russian attack on a NATO country would be a “tipping point”.

“If Russia decides to attack a NATO member country, it will be a factor that radically changes the situation. “As far as Article 5 obligations are concerned, of course NATO will respond somehow and somehow as a coalition,” Austin said.

At the same time, he noted that “Russia does not see any intention to show its desire to engage in conflict with NATO”.

NATO position

In response, NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana said that “the alliance does not see the risks to its territory and population from Russia”. According to him, the military potential of the Russian Federation will be “significantly weakened” due to the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine.

“We do not see that Russia today has the military capacity to do anything hostile to NATO.

“We see a kind of wariness of Russian forces in the face of a massive NATO build-up on the eastern flank,” he said.

Joane added that the North Atlantic Alliance does not see China as an enemy, but that the country’s military modernization has implications for all NATO members. “China is not an enemy of NATO, but its military modernization, large investments in nuclear and hypersonic missiles, and compelling diplomacy have security implications for all NATO allies,” he said.