A senior Russian diplomat warned on Tuesday that the risks of a direct clash between Russia and the NATO military alliance are increasing, and that the consequences could be ‘catastrophic’.

In an interview with the TASS state news agency, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said there was a growing narrative in European capitals about the ‘looming threat of a high-intensity war’ with Russia.

‘As a result of this escalation of tensions, including blatantly provocative actions in the nuclear sphere, strategic risks are mounting, as is the danger of a head-on clash between NATO and our country, with all the potentially catastrophic consequences that would entail,’ Ryabkov told TASS.

It comes as Russia’s army today began three days of nuclear weapons drills involving thousands of troops across the country, as Kyiv escalates its drone attacks and with President Vladimir Putin headed to China.

Throughout its over four-year offensive in Ukraine, Moscow has flaunted its possession of nuclear weapons and repeatedly threatened to use them.

The drills also come months after the last nuclear arms pact between Russia and Washington broke down, and amid a spate of comments from Putin touting the prowess of Moscow’s atomic forces.

‘From May 19 to 21, 2026, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are conducting an exercise on the preparation and use of nuclear forces in the event of a threat of aggression,’ the defence ministry said.

The drills will involve more than 65,000 soldiers and 7,800 types of equipment and weapons, including more than 200 missile launchers, the ministry added.

Aircraft, ships, submarines and nuclear submarines will all take part and the ministry said it would also test-launch ballistic and cruise missiles.

The ending of the New START agreement with Washington in February formally released the world’s two largest nuclear powers from a raft of restrictions.

Russia has vowed to take a ‘responsible’ approach to strategic nuclear capability.

But Putin has also said that developing Russia’s nuclear forces is an ‘absolute priority’, with Moscow this month testing a new long-range missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

Last week, Russia successfully tested its new Satan-2 intercontinental ballistic missile, the Kremlin said.

Putin said that Russia planned to put the missile, also known as Sarmat, on combat duty by the end of this year.

Read More: Russia warns risk of ‘catastrophic’ conflict with NATO rises as Putin begins nuclear weapon drills