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Moscow: Russia's Air Force commander said Wednesday he considers nuclear missile launches by terrorists or 'rogue states' to be a genuine threat. “Increasingly probable and dangerous for the U.S., Russia and European countries are single or multiple missile strikes from third countries, known as rogue states, countries with unstable, non-democratic regimes, or terrorist organizations with access to missile technology,” Vladimir Mikhailov said.
Mikhailov said accidental launches were also possible.
“Although accidental launches of missiles with nuclear warheads have not occurred in the history of nuclear missile technology, this does not mean they will not occur in the future, given the growing spread of nuclear missiles,” he said.
Mikhailov also said terrorist organizations and the countries harboring them would not be deterred by the threat of a retaliatory strike, which has acted as a constraint for Russia and the United States, the world's largest nuclear powers.
“The objective of terrorists is to attract as much attention to their attacks as possible,” he said.
Retaliation against a missile strike is also fraught with massive civilian casualties and destruction, the commander said, referring to recent warfare between Israel and Lebanon.
Mikhailov warned that missile technology will be increasingly popular in 21st century conflicts due to its combat capability and relatively small size.
International non-proliferation efforts have been facing difficulties in recent years.
North Korea said it conducted its first nuclear test on October 9, which could make it the ninth country known to have nuclear weapons, along with the U.S., Russia, France, China, Britain, India, Pakistan, and Israel, the latter three being de-facto nuclear powers.
The secretive Communist state is already under UN sanctions over the move, while Iran faces sanctions over its defiance to halt uranium enrichment. The Islamic Republic has been in at center of an international nuclear dispute, suspected of pursuing nuclear weapons under the guise of a civilian energy program.
Russia has taken a moderate position in both disputes, acknowledging the countries' right to peaceful nuclear power under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, but voicing concerns over their unwillingness to ease the international suspicions.
