When the world came close to a nuclear crisis in late 2022 due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, public outreach from world leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi helped prevent a catastrophe, CNN has reported, citing senior US officials.
In late 2022, the US began preparations for the possibility of Russia launching a nuclear strike on Ukraine, according to American news anchor and ex-government official Jim Sciutto. In a report published on March 9, Sciutto revealed that the Biden administration shared serious concerns about the potential use of tactical or battlefield nuclear weapons by Russia. This worry stemmed from several alarming developments and sensitive information received by the US during the period.
Acting on the intel, the US National Security Council conducted a series of meetings to formulate contingency plans in a bid to preempt or deter potential nuclear actions. During the fall of 2022, as Ukrainian forces made significant advances against Russian-occupied territories, including Kherson in the south, the prospect of a nuclear response became increasingly plausible. The Biden administration perceived the potential loss of significant Russian forces as a catalyst for nuclear escalation.
Amid these developments, Russia propagated a narrative surrounding a purported “Ukrainian dirty bomb threat,” according to the report. Despite international skepticism, the spread of this information heightened concerns within the Biden administration about potential Russian nuclear intentions. Additionally, western intel agencies intercepted communications among Russian officials explicitly discussing the possibility of a nuclear strike. While the exact nature of these discussions remained unclear, they contributed to a growing sense of apprehension within the US administration.
Throughout late 2022, the US engaged in urgent diplomatic outreach, conveying its concerns directly to Russian counterparts and collaborating closely with allies to develop response strategies. Efforts were made to enlist the support of non-allies, such as China and India, in discouraging Russia from pursuing nuclear options. “One of the things we did was not only message them directly, but strongly urge, press, encourage other countries, to whom they might be more attentive, to do the same thing,” a senior US official told Sciutto.
Citing US officials, CNN reported that, “outreach and public statements from Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi helped avert a crisis.” It was during the same period, on the sidelines of a regional security bloc summit in Uzbekistan, when Modi famously told Russian President Vladimir Putin that now was not the time for war. “I know that today’s era is not an era of war, and I have spoken to you on the phone about this,” Modi conveyed to Putin. This message was later widely echoed by several world leaders.
(Source: News18)
