Nuclear Strikes From 'Rogue States' Possible

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.