Russian space agency chief boasts nuclear capabilities, claims NATO would lose 'in 30 minutes'
Dmitry Rogozin has previously made 'erratic' comments
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A Russian official has boasted that Russia would destroy NATO countries in "half-an-hour" if conflict escalated to the use of nuclear weapons.
Dmitry Rogozin, Head of Russia’s Space Agency Roscosmos and former Deputy Prime Minister, said Sunday that in the event of a nuclear war, "NATO countries will be destroyed by Russia in half-an-hour."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He stressed that such an event "cannot be allowed because the consequences will impact the [entire] Earth."
Russia has roused fear and concern over the potential use of nuclear weapons as Russian President Vladimir Putin prepares for the May 9 Victory Day celebrations, including a massive military parade and a "nuclear theme" that he hopes will send a "doomsday warning to Europe and the United States.
The parade will include the flight of Russia’s Ilyushin Il-80, known as the "doomsday" plane that will carry the administration’s senior leadership in case of a nuclear war.
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As head of Roscosmos, Rogozin oversees the launch and management of Russia’s satellites, which would include some crossover into intelligence and war support functions.
But Rogozin is no stranger to making outlandish comments.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He made several "erratic" comments following western sanctions that punished Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, including threats to the International Space Station.
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He also claimed that Russian rockets are "the most reliable ones in the world" and suggested that people who planned the sanctions were "suffering from Alzheimer’s disease."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"He just threatened that the space station might de-orbit on American or European soil. He said it doesn't fly over Russian soil, so we don't need to worry about it," former astronaut Terry Virts previously told Fox News Digital, referencing a series of tweets from Rogozin.
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"His behavior has been very erratic recently, like Putin," Virts added. "I don't think anything bad is going to happen. I hope we can maintain our partnership, but the things that Putin has been doing are so dramatically over the red line."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rogozin has appeared several times in public with Russian President Vladimir Putin, including a recent visit to the Vostochny cosmodrome last month when Russia hosted Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.