Heightened Risk of Nuclear War

by Stephen Lendman

What's unthinkable — but increasingly possible — followed accession of Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporozhye to the Motherland.

After being approved by Russia's Constitutional Court — and unanimously ratified by the nation's lawmakers — Vladimir Putin signed accession treaties into law on Tuesday.

Until elections are held in September 2023, Russia's President appointed current heads of the above four regions to serve as their leaders.

Last week, he said the following:

Residents of these regions "made their unequivocal choice" to join Russia in scrupulously open, free and fair referendum voting — in full compliance with the UN Charter and other international law.

Henceforth, Russia will use every means necessary to protect their territories and people from cross-border aggression by Nazified Ukraine — as orchestrated and directed by hegemon USA-dominated NATO.

On Monday, interventionist Blinken said the following:

The Biden regime "will continue to act with (US vassal states) in imposing costs on Russia" if it continues" to liberate Nazified areas of the former Ukrainian nation, now a platform for perpetual US/NATO war on Russia by use of expendable Kiev foot soldiers.

Separately, the State Department "condemn(ed) Russia's" liberating SMO, saying:

The Biden regime "will never recognize" democracy in action referendum voting to legally join Russia.

As ordered by their US master, G7 regimes expressed similar opposition to the universal right of self-determination.

Separately on Tuesday at the UN 

General Assembly, Russia's Foreign Ministry non-proliferation and arms control director, Vladimir Yermakov, highlighted the reality of "a grave international security crisis," adding:

"These circumstances are provoked by" hegemon USA-dominated NATO regimes.

They "continue to aggressively push their narrow self-serving aspirations, contrary to the principle of indivisibility of security and fundamental interests of other states and peoples."

"Such a destructive policy exacerbated risks in the area of strategic stability, spurred the development of crises in many areas that have disastrous consequences for the entire world community, primarily developing countries."

Russia prioritizes "continued commitment by…nuclear weapon states to" prevent use of these WMDs at any time for any reasons.

This principle "was enshrined in the January (2022) joint statement by leaders of nuclear-weapon states." 

"Russia is fully committed" to this principle.

"(I)rresponsibl(e) (actions by) US-(dominated) NATO (regimes on all things related to Nazified Ukraine pose a heightened risk of direct) confrontation with Russia…"

Because of "dire consequences" to follow, possible confrontation between nuclear powers "must be prevented."

Yermakov added the following:

Because Hegemon USA-dominated NATO regimes use Ukrainian territory as a platform for war on Russia, "a new extremely dangerous trend developed."

"The (Biden regime and its NATO vassals) are using civilian infrastructure components in space, including commercial ones, for military purposes." 

"Such activities" reveal US/NATO war on Russia without formally declaring it.

As a result, this "infrastructure (is) a legitimate target for retaliation…expos(ing) it to undue risks."

Yermakov also issued the following warning:

"(D)eploy(ment) of US missile defense systems in various regions of the world, in combination with…high accuracy non-nuclear weapons…remains a negative factor fraught with significant risks for strategic stability."

In flagrant "violation of (their) Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty obligations, (US-dominated NATO regimes conducted joint nuclear missions) in non-nuclear European countries where US nuclear (weapons) are deployed."

This unacceptable practice is hugely "destabilizing."

Russia "repeatedly stressed the need for returning US nuclear weapons to (its own) territory." 

"The termination of the treaty on the elimination of intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles as a result of (hegemon USA's) pullout produced a situation where in terms of international nuclear missile disarmament agreements…world" security took a giant leap backwards, Yermakov stressed, adding:

Russia urged the empire of lies forever wars "not to be the first (nation) to deploy systems previously banned under the INF Treaty."

Agreed to by Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev on December 8, 1987, it banned US and Russian use of land-based ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as missile launchers with ranges of 500 - 1,000 kilometers and 1,000 - 5,500 km.

Use of air and sea-based missiles were not covered by the treaty.

In October 2018, Trump said he'd withdraw from the landmark treaty — on the phony pretext of Russian non-compliance, along with his intention to counter nonbelligerent China.

On August 2, 2019, formal withdrawal took place.

A landmark treaty that stood the test of time for over three decades was abandoned by hegemon USA for invented reasons.

No legitimate ones existed.

At a time when US-dominated NATO regimes are waging war on Russia with use of expendable Ukrainian foot soldiers, the risk is ominously high of nuclear war between powers with the vast majority of these WMDs in their arsenals.

And nothing is on the table to step back from what would be catastrophic if these weapons are used by the Biden regime against Russia — forcing its leadership to retaliate in self-defense.