High state of alarm in the West as Kremlin military leaders talked about how and when they might deploy lower-yield devices
Russian generals have discussed how and when they might use tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine, according to US officials.
Joe Biden’s administration was stung into a state of high alarm after learning of the conversations in mid October, The New York Times reported.
US officials were clear they had seen no evidence of the preparation of such weapons and that no vehicles capable of firing missiles, such as the RS-24 Yars, had been observed moving into launch positions.
A flurry of calls between General Sergei Shoigu, Russia’s defence minister, and Western counterparts also helped to ease tensions, the newspaper reported.