Russian military expert Igor Korotchenko recently stated on state-owned TV that the Kremlin could potentially launch nuclear attacks on U.S. ships.
In response to heightened attacks in the Kharkiv region, President Joe Biden has permitted Ukraine to use American weapons for defense, limited to safeguarding Kharkiv. Long-range missiles provided by the U.S. are not to be utilized.
Korotchenko proposed a quick and strong reaction to U.S. strikes on Russian territory: disabling all electrical generation in Ukraine. He made these remarks on a Russian TV program broadcasted by journalist Julia Davis’ watchdog group, Russian Media Monitor.
Referring to Russian warships conducting drills in the Atlantic en route to Cuba, Korotchenko highlighted their maneuvers to simulate missile strikes on enemy fleets. Despite Russia’s naval presence in Havana, Cuban officials assure that the vessels do not pose a regional threat.
Popov, a host on the program, implied the potential use of nuclear weapons in these drills, to which Korotchenko confirmed the inclusion of nuclear warheads. The discussion escalated, with another host, Skabeyeva, referring to it as a “special war.”
Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh responded to the situation by stating the monitoring of foreign vessels near U.S. territorial waters, emphasizing that the Russian exercises do not endanger the United States.
The program also criticized the U.S. presence in Guantanamo Bay, with Popov alleging it as an illegal occupation, advocating for its potential use by the Russian Federation.
Historically, the U.S. has leased Guantanamo Bay from Cuba since 1903, initially at a rental cost of approximately $4,000 a year.