Russia Issues 'Accidental' Nuclear Escalation Warning

The risk of an "accidental" nuclear war breaking out has risen sharply amid concerns over U.S. leaders' health and mental acuity, a top Russian official has warned.

The remarks were made by Mikhail Popov, deputy secretary of Russia's Security Council, in an interview with Russian newspaper Izvestia, released on Wednesday.

Popov said factors which have contributed to this growing risk of an accidental nuclear war include the health of U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and "the deterioration of Joe Biden's cognitive abilities," the newspaper reported.

Their "health issues" could trigger a conflict by accident, Popov suggested.

Newsweek has contacted the White House by email for comment.

Austin, 70, was admitted to the critical care unit at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Sunday for symptoms of an "emergent bladder issue", and has since been discharged, the Pentagon said, adding that the issue was unrelated to his earlier prostate cancer diagnosis.

Meanwhile some have raised concerns that President Biden, 81, is too old to be leader of the country for four more years.

Popov pointed to special counsel Robert Hur's report released on February 8 that described Biden's memory as "hazy," "fuzzy," "faulty," "poor," and having "significant limitations." Biden responded shortly after to those allegations, saying: "My memory is fine."

"The conversation is not about a banana republic, but about a state that has nuclear weapons and constantly claims to be the world hegemon," said Popov.

When asked "how big is the risk of an 'accidental' nuclear war?" he said that the question has become increasingly relevant today.

"[Biden] is the only person who can give the order to use nuclear weapons," Popov said.

"In the difficult and nervous internal political situation that has developed recently in the United States, the cost of management mistakes, consciously or involuntarily made by the country's leaders, has increased significantly. And we are not far from a global catastrophe," the official added.

Russian officials, including former President Dmitry Medvedev, have warned on multiple occasions that a nuclear war could break out amid the conflict in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in September 2022 that Moscow was prepared to use nuclear weapons to defend its "territorial integrity" and the topic is regularly discussed on Russian state TV.

Newsweek has contacted Russia's Foreign Ministry for comment by email.

Kremlin propagandists have also routinely warned of a looming world war and strikes by Russia on NATO territory over aid and weapons provided by Biden's administration and members of the military alliance to Kyiv.

Earlier this month, Russian state TV host Vladimir Solovyov, one of the most prominent figures in Kremlin-backed media, suggested moving to a nuclear war on his radio show Full Contact and floated the idea of striking the headquarters of the NATO military alliance in Brussels, Belgium.

Update 2/14/24, 5:35 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.

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