US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Russia is “modernizing and expanding its nuclear arsenal” as its military operation in Ukraine continues and Russian President Vladimir Putin has made threats about using nuclear weapons in the conflict, The Hill reports.
Austin spoke on Friday at a ceremony for the new head of U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM), Anthony Cotton. The agency is responsible for strategic nuclear deterrence, nuclear operations and missile defense. Cotton took over for Charles Richard, who had served in the role since 2019 and retired Friday.
Austin acknowledged several challenges facing STRATCOM in the near future, including the expanding Russian nuclear arsenal and Chinese nuclear forces that are growing, modernizing and diversifying.
“And as the Kremlin continues its cruel and unprovoked war of choice against Ukraine, the whole world has seen Putin engage in deeply irresponsible nuclear saber-rattling,” he said.
“So make no mistake. Nuclear powers have a profound responsibility to avoid provocative behavior, and to lower the risk of proliferation, and to prevent escalation and nuclear war,” he continued.
Putin this week insisted that Russia’s nuclear arsenal would only be a “factor of deterrence” in the war with Ukraine, but he has repeatedly made threats throughout the nine-month war that have concerned U.S. and other officials worldwide.
He has said that Russia would be willing to use nuclear weapons to defend its territory, but has clarified that includes the four regions of Ukraine that Russia seized and illegally annexed through illegitimate referendums in September.
