Russian Politician Calls for Nuclear Strike on United States

A member of the Russian parliament recently called for his country to attack the United States with nuclear weapons during a television appearance.

Andrey Gurulyov, a State Duma member and former military commander, made the comments during a discussion on a show broadcast on the Kremlin-controlled Russia-1 network.

In a panel moderated by host Vladimir Solovyov, Gurulyov said that Americans "won't come to their senses" until they "get hit with a nuke on their skull," according to a translated clip posted on the Russian Media Monitor YouTube channel by journalist Julia Davis.

Gurulyov also said that a Russian strike involving nuclear weapons was the only path forward to ensure lasting peace.

Russian fighter jet
A Russian Sukhoi Su-57 fighter aircraft, which is said to be capable of carrying nuclear weapons, is seen at the Russian Armed Forces' Patriot Park in Kubinka, outside Moscow, on August 16, 2022. In inset,... Photos by NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA/AFP/Getty Images

"There is no other way to talk to these fools," Gurulyov said before adding that people have tried unsuccessfully to convince him otherwise.

"Today, considering our strategic initiative—and right now we have it for sure—along with our current successes, I very much want for us to envision the future," Gurulyov said. "We should make plans beyond the horizon so that we know what happens in one year, three years, five years and 10 years and harshly move toward it in this paradigm.

"We will win, 100 percent. Where? Everywhere! Everywhere! And this is by far not about Ukraine. Everywhere!"

Gurulyov continued by saying that Russia is a country that brings peace to the world.

"Russia was, is and will be a great nation, capable of bringing peace," he said. "Peace is the key word! We bring peace and calm!"

The comments from Gurulyov about striking the U.S. are not his only recent talk of nuclear war.

During a September appearance on Russia-1, Gurulyov said that Russian President Vladimir Putin's military could turn the United Kingdom into a "Martian desert" with a nuclear assault.

Gurulyov made those remarks while discussing a statement from U.S. President Joe Biden that condemned the idea that Russia could use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. Gurulyov said his country would not resort to using nukes in Ukraine because Russian people would eventually settle there.

He went on to say that a nuclear strike on Germany or the U.K. was not out of the question. He also downplayed NATO's Article 5 agreement that says if an ally country is attacked, the entire bloc would respond.

"Biden says there would be a reaction, per their Article 5, but if we turn the British Isles into a Martian desert in three minutes flat, using tactical nuclear weapons, not strategic ones, they could use Article 5, but for whom?" Gurulyov said. "A nonexistent country, turned into a Martian desert? They won't respond."

Newsweek reached out to the White House and Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comment.

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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Jon Jackson is an Associate Editor at Newsweek based in New York. His focus is on reporting on the Ukraine ... Read more

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