If the confrontation proceeded to the use of nuclear weapons, a Russian official claimed that Russia would annihilate NATO countries in just an hour.
Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Russia's space agency Roscosmos and a former Deputy Prime Minister, stated on Sunday that NATO countries would be annihilated by Russia in half an hour if there was a nuclear war.
Russia Feared to Use Nuclear Weapons
As Russian President Vladimir Putin prepares for the May 9 Victory Day celebrations, which include a big military parade and a nuclear theme that he believes would send a doomsday message to Europe and the United States, he has stoked fears and concerns about the potential use of nuclear weapons.
The Russian Ilyushin Il-80, dubbed as the doomsday, will fly above the parade, carrying the administration's senior leadership in the event of a nuclear war. Rogozin controls the launch and administration of Russia's satellites as head of Roscosmos, which includes some overlap with intelligence and war support tasks.
Rogozin, on the other hand, is no stranger to making bizarre remarks. Following western sanctions for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, he made multiple erratic statements, including threats to the International Space Station. He also said that Russian missiles are the most trustworthy in the world and implied that those who devised the sanctions had Alzheimer's disease, according to Fox News.
Rogozin stated that the mobilization of the state economy, as well as the transfer of Russia's military-industrial complex and allied industrial sectors, must be done promptly and fast. Russia's foreign ministry spokesperson stated on Friday that the country will not use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. Russia's'special military operation' in Ukraine, according to Alexei Zaitsev, does not need the use of nuclear weapons.
Despite this, Russia said in April that it had successfully tested its Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile. The missile was launched from Plesetsk in the northwest and targeted targets on the Kamchatka peninsula in the far east.
According to the US Congressional Research Service, Russia plans to deploy the Sarmat with ten or more warheads on each missile. Meanwhile, weapons expert Hamish de Bretton-Gordon warned Express.co.uk that Putin may drop a tactical nuclear bomb on Ukraine tomorrow to alter the shape of the battle during Victory Day festivities, as per Express.
Group of Seven Imposes New Sanctions Against Russia
Because of the prospect of a nuclear assault, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated on Friday that Russia believed it could avoid punishment for war crimes.
On Sunday, the United States, the European Union, and the Group of Seven leaders announced further sanctions against Russia's industrial sector, state-controlled media, and Russian and Belarusian financial executives from key banks, including Russia's Gazprombank.
The G-7 countries, which include the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Canada, and Italy, also pledged to phase out or restrict Russian oil imports, a measure that European leaders have so far rejected but that the European Union suggested last week. As a result of Russia's escalating invasion of Ukraine, which began in late February, the US has already prohibited the import of Russian oil, gas, and coal.
On the day of Russia's Victory Day, which commemorates the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945, President Biden had virtual conversations with G-7 leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Following the call, which lasted almost an hour, G-7 leaders issued a statement assuring Zelensky of their entire solidarity and support, promising more than $24 billion in extra aid from the start of the conflict until 2022.
The current restrictions also prevent Western professional service businesses from doing business with anybody in the Russian Federation, including multinational management consulting and accountancy organizations such as Deloitte, EY, KPMG, and PwC.
As reported by US officials, some of these organizations have been asked to help Russian companies restructure their business strategies to avoid sanctions or hide their wealth, according to a senior administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the announcement's details. However, the prohibition does not apply to legal services, AOL reported
Related Article : Russia's Victory Day Will Showcase Putin's 'Doomsday' Threat to the West
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