Russia’s overseas minister warned on Monday that the chance of nuclear war is “considerable” and need to not be underestimated, though accusing NATO of engaging in a proxy war in opposition to Russia by arming Ukraine.

In an interview with state tv, Russian Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed that Russia has been striving to steer clear of a nuclear conflict due to the fact its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, but he reported communication with the United States has “practically ceased” and that the Ukrainian side is not negotiating for peace in great religion.

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PENTAGON Officers Getting Regular UPDATES ON RUSSIAN NUCLEAR Chance

“The hazards now are substantial,” Lavrov mentioned on the prospect of the war in Ukraine escalating to a nuclear degree. “I would not want to elevate these threats artificially. A lot of would like that. The threat is major, real. And we need to not undervalue it.”

The foreign minister stated that Russian army forces will goal shipments of weapons to Ukraine offered by the West, accusing NATO of currently being at war with Russia.

“These weapons will be a authentic goal for Russia’s armed service performing within just the context of the exclusive operation,” Lavrov mentioned.

“Storage facilities in western Ukraine have been targeted more than the moment. How can it be normally?” the overseas minister additional. “NATO, in essence, is engaged in a war with Russia as a result of a proxy and is arming that proxy. War means war.”

According to Lavrov, interaction with the U.S. all through the conflict has been almost nonexistent.

“The United States has pretty much ceased all contacts merely since we have been obliged to defend Russians in Ukraine,” Lavrov said, citing the Kremlin’s scenario for the invasion of Ukraine.

He also blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for prolonging the war by “pretending” to negotiate for peace, contacting the former actor, in point, a “good actor.”

“If you check out attentively and study attentively what he says, you will find a thousand contradictions,” Lavrov explained.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his nuclear forces to be on inform days just after the invasion commenced.

Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin is reportedly obtaining various briefings per 7 days about the probability of Russia applying its nuclear arsenal, but Pentagon officials are skeptical that Russia will follow by means of with its threats to use nuclear weapons.

“We took be aware of what Mr. Putin reported in the early days of this invasion,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby reported. “I believe it truly is also critical to incorporate that there has not been extra of that rhetoric next that initial salvo in the early days.”

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted on Monday that Lavrov’s chat of nuclear war is a “past hope to scare the globe off supporting Ukraine.”

“As a result the chat of a ‘real’ risk of WWIII. This only signifies Moscow senses defeat in Ukraine,” Kuleba tweeted.