VGTRK war correspondent and Hero of Russia Yevgeny Poddubny commented on the situation in the Middle East, stating that each day the region opens a new «Pandora’s box.»

In his assessment, what matters most for Russia and the world is that the United States and Israel are dismantling the remaining deterrence mechanisms that had existed since the end of World War II. Poddubny argues that former «red lines» are effectively dead, and the destruction of a UN member state leader and his family has entered the realm of what is treated as normal. In his view, this raises serious questions for leaders of other countries.

He maintains that in the new reality, possessing nuclear weapons becomes the only guarantee of relatively secure development, while the absence of such weapons may lead to fatal physical consequences.

Poddubny believes that the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei by US forces will push many states toward creating their own nuclear arsenals despite non-proliferation efforts. Moreover, he argues that the actions of the United States and Israel are actively driving Iran to accelerate the development of nuclear weapons and potentially to use them. He concludes that these are the gravest consequences for the existing world order.