Nuclear war fear as Putin's space chief boasts Russia could wipe out NATO in 30 minutes

Dmitry Rogozin, Director General of Russia’s State Space Corporation “Roscosmos” and former deputy Prime Minister for defence, has issued a grim warning about Moscow’s nuclear strength. He claimed on Sunday it would take only half an hour for Russia to destroy NATO countries, but insisted it should not be allowed to happen.

Mr Rogozin said on his Telegram channel: “In a nuclear war, NATO countries will be destroyed by us in half an hour. 

“But we must not allow it, since the consequences of an exchange of nuclear strikes will affect the state of our Earth.

“NATO is waging war against us. It has not declared it, but it doesn’t change anything. Now it’s obvious to everyone. 

“The Ukrainian national battalions and the Armed Forces of Ukraine are consumables, cannon fodder for NATO, they are just operators trained by NATO instructors who press the levers and buttons of NATO weapons.”

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Addressing Vladimir Putin’s February 24 announcement of the ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine, Mr Rogozin noted it had gone beyond its original meaning.

The politician said it is now a “war for the truth and the right of Russia to exist as a single and independent state”.

He also stressed defeating a NATO-backed Ukraine is only possible with Russia’s full military power.

Mr Rogozin said the mobilisation of the state economy and the transfer of the military-industrial complex and related industrial sectors of Russia to a military footing “must be done immediately and quickly”.

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Speaking after the missile launch, Putin said: “The new complex has the highest tactical and technical characteristics and is capable of overcoming all modern means of anti-missile defence. 

“It has no analogues in the world and will not have for a long time to come.

“This truly unique weapon will strengthen the combat potential of our armed forces, reliably ensure Russia’s security from external threats and provide food for thought for those who, in the heat of frenzied aggressive rhetoric, try to threaten our country.”

Russia is expected to deploy the Sarmat with 10 or more warheads on each missile, according to the US Congressional Research Service.

Meanwhile, weapons expert Hamish de Bretton-Gordon told Express.co.uk Putin could drop a tactical nuclear weapon on Ukraine tomorrow amid Victory Day celebrations to “change the shape of the war”.

He told Express.co.uk: “The biggest concern is perhaps the use or direct threat of use of a tactical/battlefield nuclear weapon.

“If things are still going so badly on May 9, which is likely, Putin could decide that a nuke is the only way to change the shape of the war.

“Western leaders have been slightly ambiguous about what would happen if Putin used a tactical nuke.”

source: express.co.uk