CIA Director Warns of Genuine Risk of Russia Using Tactical Nuclear Weapons Early in Ukraine Conflict

CIA Director William Burns revealed that in the fall of 2022, there was a “genuine risk” of Russia deploying tactical nuclear weapons on the battlefield in Ukraine. Speaking at the Financial Times Weekend Festival alongside the U.K.’s secret intelligence chief Richard Moore, Burns emphasized that the West should not be intimidated by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s nuclear threats, despite the heightened risk at the time. Burns noted that his agency did not believe in succumbing to such threats, describing Putin as a “bully” prone to saber-rattling. Burns also recounted his meeting with Russian intelligence chief Sergey Naryshkin in late 2022, where he stressed the severe consequences of nuclear escalation. The CIA director pointed to Ukraine’s recent offensive in Russia’s Kursk region as a morale boost for Ukrainian forces and a cause of concern for the Kremlin, exposing vulnerabilities in Putin’s regime and military. Amid this tension, Russia’s nuclear doctrine, which is defensive and focused on deterrence, may be subject to amendments following Ukraine’s advancements, according to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.