'Moscow could move nuclear weapons near US coasts'

Russia could move its nuclear weapons by placing them not far from the American coasts, recreating a scenario that evokes the Cuban missile crisis of 1962. This is, reports the New York Times, one of the measures proposed by Russian officials on the sidelines of the negotiations between Moscow and Western countries last week in case Vladimir Putin's demands are not met. "Some of its officials have suggested that it could pursue Russia's security interests in" different ways: "There have been hints, never explicit, that nuclear weapons could be moved," the NYT said.

 The New York Times points out that Putin has "pointed to this approach" over the past year, warning that if the West crosses the "red line" the response would be unexpected.

In fact, last November Putin himself had suggested that Russia could deploy hypersonic submarine missiles at a distance that could hit Washington.

The Russian president has repeatedly reiterated that the prospect of a Western military expansion into Ukraine poses an unacceptable risk because it could be used to launch nuclear strikes against Moscow with only a few minutes of warning.

Russia, he said, could have done the same.