US fears Russia will use ‘drastic’ tactics including nuke threat as fortunes wane in Ukraine

russia might flip to more and more “unpredictable and drastic” ways in its battle on ukraine — with the ever-present menace of nuclear battle in opposition to the West, prime us intelligence officers warned.

Director of Nationwide Intelligence Avril Haines warned the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday that “the subsequent month or two of preventing will probably be important,” as President Vladimir Putin offers with a “mismatch between his ambitions” and his “navy capabilities.”

“The following few months might see us transferring alongside a extra unpredictable and doubtlessly escalatory trajectory,” together with “a interval of extra advert hoc determination making” by russia, she warned.

It will increase the “probability that President Putin will flip to extra drastic means,” she mentioned, particularly “if he perceives russia is dropping in ukraine.”

In any case, Moscow will seemingly proceed to “use russia-simulated-nuclear-missile-strikes-near-border-with-nato/”>nuclear rhetoric to discourage the USA and the West” from serving to ukraine.

“And if Putin perceives that the USA is ignoring his threats, he could attempt to sign to Washington the heightened hazard of its help to ukraine by authorizing one other massive nuclear train,” she mentioned, referring to the current take a look at of its so-called “Satan 2” missile, which it claims is unstoppable and in a position to attain the us.

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us-intel-russia-nuclear-threat-02.jpg”>us-intel-russia-nuclear-threat-02.jpg?w=1024″ alt=”Russian President Vladimir Putin” class=”wp-image-22228355″ srcset=”https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/websites/2/2022/05/us-intel-russia-nuclear-threat-02.jpg?high quality=75&strip=all&w=1536 1536w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/websites/2/2022/05/us-intel-russia-nuclear-threat-02.jpg?high quality=75&strip=all 1024w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/websites/2/2022/05/us-intel-russia-nuclear-threat-02.jpg?high quality=75&strip=all&w=512 512w” sizes=”(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px”/>

us spies at present imagine Putin “would most likely solely authorize the usage of nuclear weapons if he russia-could-use-nuclear-weapons-if-putin-suspects-existential-threat/”>perceived an existential menace to the Russian state or regime,” she mentioned.

“However we’ll stay vigilant in monitoring each facet of russia strategic nuclear forces,” Haines pressured.

“With tensions this excessive, there’s all the time an enhanced potential for miscalculation, unintended escalation, which we hope our intelligence might help to mitigate,” she mentioned.

In its annual menace evaluation report, Haines’ workplace pressured that “russia will stay the most important and most succesful” rival to the us with regards to weapons of mass destruction.

us-intel-russia-nuclear-threat-feat-image.jpg”>us-intel-russia-nuclear-threat-feat-image.jpg?w=1024″ alt=”Director of Nationwide Intelligence (DNI) Avril Haines ” class=”wp-image-22228367″ srcset=”https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/websites/2/2022/05/us-intel-russia-nuclear-threat-feat-image.jpg?high quality=75&strip=all&w=1535 1536w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/websites/2/2022/05/us-intel-russia-nuclear-threat-feat-image.jpg?high quality=75&strip=all 1024w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/websites/2/2022/05/us-intel-russia-nuclear-threat-feat-image.jpg?high quality=75&strip=all&w=512 512w” sizes=”(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px”/>

“Moscow views its nuclear capabilities as mandatory for sustaining deterrence and attaining its objectives in a possible battle in opposition to the USA and NATO, and it sees a reputable nuclear weapons deterrent as the final word guarantor of the Russian Federation,” the company famous.

“Moscow continues to develop long-range nuclear-capable missile and underwater supply programs meant to penetrate or bypass U.S. missile defenses.

“russia is increasing and modernizing its massive, various, and fashionable set of nonstrategic programs, that are able to delivering nuclear or standard warheads, as a result of Moscow believes such programs supply choices to discourage adversaries, management the escalation of potential hostilities, and counter U.S. and allied troops close to its border.”

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Western concern on the danger of nuclear battle elevated after Putin referred to his arsenal whereas launching his invasion of ukraine on Feb. 24.

After referring to Moscow’s nuclear forces, he warned that any try and get in russia’s manner “will lead you to such penalties that you’ve got by no means encountered in your historical past.”

Days later he put these nuclear forces on high alert, blaming a fictitious menace from NATO. His navy chiefs additionally mentioned they might really feel justified utilizing nukes if below the “existential menace” that Haines referenced.

us-intel-russia-nuclear-threat-07.jpg”>us-intel-russia-nuclear-threat-07.jpg?w=1024″ alt=”Russian RS-24 Yars ballistic missile rolls throughout the Victory Day navy parade in Moscow, russia, ” class=”wp-image-22228366″ srcset=”https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/websites/2/2022/05/us-intel-russia-nuclear-threat-07.jpg?high quality=75&strip=all&w=1536 1536w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/websites/2/2022/05/us-intel-russia-nuclear-threat-07.jpg?high quality=75&strip=all 1024w, https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/websites/2/2022/05/us-intel-russia-nuclear-threat-07.jpg?high quality=75&strip=all&w=512 512w” sizes=”(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px”/>

russia mentioned final month that by autumn it will likely be in a position to deploy its newly examined Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missiles — dubbed Devil 2 — that’s able to making nuclear strikes in opposition to the us.

Putin additionally displayed a few of his nuke-capable missiles throughout Monday’s Victory Day parade in Crimson Sq., during which he but once more blamed the West for his determination to invade his neighbor ukraine.

With Put up wires