In an extraordinary uptick in aggression, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said Moscow would deploy intermediate-range nuclear forces (INF) in Europe if NATO failed to rule out using them itself. Missiles of this nature have a top range of 3,100 miles (5,000km) and could hit numerous European capitals if deployed from Russia.

       Russian military expert ？？？？Colonel Konstantin Sivkov spoke of various situations around the world where tensions are high and could lead to a nuclear war on a global scale.

       Speaking on Russia Today TV, the Deputy President of the Russian Academy of Rocket and Artillery Sciences (RARAN) claimed that America recently gave Germany's air force permission to equip its planes with American nuclear weapons, and has provided Germany with America's nuclear battle plans.

       Because of this, the US has been pushed to the brink of nuclear war over Ukraine.

       According to US intelligence, Russia has stationed some 70,000 troops near the border of Ukraine and has begun planning for a possible invasion as early as next year.

       Moscow has denied it is preparing for an invasion and has accused the government in Kyiv of stoking tensions in the region by deploying new weapons.

       Colonel Sivkov also warned that if a nuclear conflict erupts, Russia has the capacity to turn a country like Germany into a nuclear wasteland using some of its 160 submarine-launched nuclear missiles.

       He said: “The United States gave the German air force permission to equip its planes with nuclear bombs.

       “By doing this, it gave the German air force the plans to use nuclear munitions in battle.

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       “Thus, the US has pushed the situation in Ukraine to the brink of nuclear war.

       "The US needs to understand that Russia's nuclear counterstrike would not be limited to German territory, but would also reach the soil of the country that owns these nuclear weapons – the US.

       "160 [submarine-launched Russian] missiles with nuclear warheads would turn a country like Germany into a nuclear wasteland. They need to fully understand this."

       The Colonel also spoke about the conflict between Iran and Israel, and how tensions there could escalate into a nuclear war that pulls in different countries of the world.

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