US Reportedly Prepared For Potential Russian Nuclear Strike In Ukraine In 2022

Zinger Key Points
  • The U.S. braced for a potential Russian nuclear strike in Ukraine in 2022.
  • The Biden administration was alarmed by a Russian tactical nuke threat amid Ukrainian advances, intelligence reports reveal.

In the latter part of 2022, the US began “preparing rigorously” for a potential nuclear strike by Russia on Ukraine, which would have marked the first such attack since the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki nearly eighty years ago.

The Biden administration was particularly worried about the prospect of Russia employing a tactical or battlefield nuclear weapon, CNN reported, citing two officials.

The administration’s alarming assessment was not based on a single indicator but on a combination of developments, analysis, and notably, highly sensitive new intelligence, the report said.

Also Read: Putin Threatens Nuclear Strikes If NATO Troops Aid Ukraine: ‘The Destruction Of Civilization’

In late summer 2022, Ukrainian forces made significant advances towards Russian-occupied Kherson, posing a threat to Russian units. The potential loss of Kherson was seen as a “potential trigger” for Russia to consider using nuclear weapons, given the catastrophic implications.

Near the end of summer 2022, Ukrainian forces made substantial progress towards Kherson, which was under Russian occupation, endangering Russian units. The potential fall of Kherson was perceived as a catalyst for Russia to contemplate a tactical nuclear strike as a deterrent against further territorial losses and possible attacks on Russia.

From late summer to fall 2022, the National Security Council reportedly held meetings to devise contingency plans for either an unambiguous indication of an imminent nuclear attack or an actual attack.

Also See: Sweden Joins NATO As Hungary Removes Final Barrier For Ratification—What It Means For Russia And The War In Ukraine

Simultaneously, Russia’s propaganda apparatus propagated a fabricated narrative about a Ukrainian dirty bomb, raising concerns among U.S. officials that it could serve as a pretext for a Russian nuclear strike, CNN added.

In October 2022, Russia’s defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, engaged in a series of phone conversations with defense officials from the U.S., U.K., France and Turkey, expressing the vKremlin’s apprehension regarding potential provocations by Kyiv involving the deployment of a dirty bomb.

However, U.S. and other Western officials dismissed the Russian alerts, rejecting the validity of their warnings, the report stated.

Read Next: Ukraine Destroys 14 Out Of 17 Russian Drones And A Cruise Missile In Overnight Attack

This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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Posted In: EquitiesNewsPoliticsMarketsGeneral2022 Russian invasion of UkraineAI GeneratedNuclear WarUkraineVladamir Putin
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