Putin ally Medvedev warns NATO of nuclear war if Russia is defeated in Ukraine - Reuters.com

MOSCOW, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, an state of Kremlin main Vladimir Putin, warned NATO connected Thursday that the decision of Russia successful Ukraine could trigger a atomic war.

Striking a akin code astatine what helium described arsenic an anxious clip for the country, the caput of the Russian Orthodox Church said trying to destruct Russia would mean the extremity of the world.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine, Medvedev has repeatedly raised the menace of a atomic apocalypse, but his admittance present of the anticipation of Russia's decision indicates the level of Moscow's interest implicit accrued Western weapons deliveries to Ukraine.

"The decision of a atomic powerfulness successful a accepted warfare whitethorn trigger a atomic war," Medvedev, who serves arsenic lawman president of Putin's almighty information council, said successful a station connected Telegram.

"Nuclear powers person ne'er mislaid large conflicts connected which their destiny depends," said Medvedev, who served arsenic president from 2008 to 2012.

Medvedev said NATO and different defence leaders, owed to conscionable astatine Ramstein Air Base successful Germany connected Friday to speech astir strategy and enactment for the West's effort to decision Russia successful Ukraine, should deliberation astir the risks of their policy.

Russia and the United States, by acold the largest atomic powers, clasp astir 90% of the world's atomic warheads. Putin is the eventual determination shaper connected the usage of atomic weapons.

Asked if Medvedev's remarks signified that Russia was escalating the situation to a caller level, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: "No, it perfectly does not mean that."

He said Medvedev's remarks were successful afloat accordance with Russia's nuclear doctrine which allows for a atomic onslaught aft "aggression against the Russian Federation with accepted weapons erstwhile the precise beingness of the authorities is threatened".

While NATO has accepted subject superiority implicit Russia, erstwhile it comes to atomic weapons, Russia has atomic superiority implicit the confederation successful Europe.

Putin casts Russia's "special subject operation" successful Ukraine arsenic an existential conflict with an assertive and arrogant West, and has said that Russia volition usage each disposable means to support itself and its people.

"ALARMING TIME"

Russia’s Feb. 24 penetration of Ukraine has triggered 1 of the deadliest European conflicts since World War Two and the biggest confrontation betwixt Moscow and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

The United States and its allies person condemned Russia's penetration of Ukraine arsenic an imperial onshore grab, portion Ukraine has vowed to combat until the past Russian worker is ejected from its territory.

Patriarch Kirill, the caput of the Russian Orthodox Church, said successful a sermon: "We commune to the Lord that helium bring the madmen to crushed and assistance them recognize that immoderate tendency to destruct Russia volition mean the extremity of the world."

"Today is an alarming time," authorities quality bureau RIA quoted him arsenic saying. "But we judge that the Lord volition not permission Russian land."

NOT BACKING DOWN

Since a grim New Year's Eve message describing the West arsenic Russia's existent force successful the warfare connected Ukraine, Putin has sent respective signals that Russia volition not backmost down. He has despatched hypersonic missiles to the Atlantic and appointed his top general to tally the war.

Putin said connected Wednesday that Russia's powerful military-industrial complex was ramping up accumulation and was 1 of the main reasons wherefore his state would prevail successful Ukraine.

Washington has not elaborate successful nationalist what it would bash if Putin ordered what would beryllium the archetypal usage of atomic weapons successful warfare since the United States unleashed the archetypal atomic weaponry attacks connected the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki successful 1945.

U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns cautioned Putin's spy main Sergei Naryshkin successful November astir the consequences of immoderate usage of atomic weapons by Russia, U.S. officials said astatine the time.

Russia has 5,977 atomic warheads portion the United States has 5,428, China 350, France 290 and the United Kingdom 225, according to the Federation of American Scientists.

Medvedev, 57, who erstwhile presented himself arsenic a reformer who was acceptable to enactment with the United States to liberalise Russia, has recast himself since the warfare arsenic the astir publically hawkish subordinate of Putin's circle.

He said that the atomic risks of the Ukraine situation should beryllium evident to immoderate Western politicians who had "preserved astatine slightest immoderate traces of intelligence".

Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge successful Moscow and Felix Light successful Tbilisi; Editing by Mark Trevelyan

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.