Russia ‘very unlikely’ to use nuclear weapons, US intel chief

On Thursday, the senior U.S. intelligence officer said Russia is unlikely to deploy its nuclear weapons despite Kremlin saber-rattling and terrible deaths in its invasion of Ukraine.

Avril Haines told the Senate Armed Services Committee, “It’s very unlikely.”

Since the Ukraine conflict began, Putin has regularly threatened to deploy Russia’s nuclear arsenal to defend its “territorial integrity.”

Putin suspended Russia’s membership in the New START accord, the last nuclear armaments pact with the US, in February.

The U.S. intelligence community assessment was not discussed by Haines.

For months, U.S. officials have claimed they have not detected signals Russia was ready to use nuclear weapons but warned they were staying watchful.

Last month, a top U.S. ambassador warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin may deploy a tactical nuclear bomb in a “managed” escalation of his war in Ukraine.

Deputy U.S. Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said Putin’s March 25 declaration that Russia will post tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus “is his effort to use this threat in a managed way.”

Still, Moscow has pledged nuclear restraint.

The Kremlin denied last week that Russia was ready to test a nuclear bomb, claiming all nuclear states were following a moratorium.