U.S. intelligence assessed the risk of nuclear escalation in strikes deep into Russian territory

US intelligence says strikes deep inside Russia do not increase the risk of nuclear escalation. A Reuters interlocutor said on November 27.

"A number of intelligence assessments over the past seven months have concluded that the decision to ease restrictions on Ukraine's use of U.S. weapons is unlikely to lead to a nuclear escalation," the speaker said.

The U.S. official said that while Washington believes Russia will not seek escalation with its nuclear forces, it will try to match what it considers escalation on the part of the United States. He believes that putting the new Oreshnik ballistic missile into service was part of that effort.

Also, two senior officials told the agency that Russia could allegedly "put pressure" on the West because of the USA decision.

"Some officials now believe fears of escalation have been exaggerated, but they emphasize that the overall situation in Ukraine remains dangerous and a nuclear escalation is still not out of the question," Reuters concluded.

Earlier, on November 25, US Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Green, commenting on media reports that the administration of incumbent President Joe Biden is seriously considering transferring nuclear weapons to Ukraine, called it a crazy idea. She suggested that it was an excuse to stop the transfer of power to President-elect Donald Trump.

At the same time, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel called Russia's nuclear capabilities frightening. She also called on Western countries to do everything possible to prevent a nuclear conflict.

Russian President Vladimir Putin approved an updated nuclear doctrine on November 19. It includes the amendments announced in September. In particular, for the first time a definition of a potential adversary against whom the Russian Federation is conducting nuclear deterrence is introduced.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov specified that the measure brings the norms in this area in line with the current situation. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also noted that Russia is strictly committed to the position of preventing nuclear war and defends a world in which nuclear weapons should never be used.

At the same time, Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Director Sergei Naryshkin said on Nov. 20 that the West had carelessly met Putin's decision to adjust the state's nuclear doctrine. According to him, Western countries realize that the adjustments largely devalue the efforts of the United States and NATO, which are trying to inflict a "strategic defeat" on Russia.