World ‘millimeters away’ from disaster, warns Russia

Russia has warned that the world is “millimeters away from disaster” due to the risk of nuclear escalation in the Middle East, said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Wednesday.

Zakharova expressed surprise that global media have largely ignored the recent strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. On June 13, Israel launched a major operation called Rising Lion, targeting military sites and Iran’s nuclear program, including facilities in Tehran. The attacks killed several senior Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists.

In response, Iran launched Operation True Promise 3, striking military targets inside Israel.

Zakharova stressed that Iran’s nuclear infrastructure is peaceful, as confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and said the attacks pose extreme danger. She criticized Western media for their silence on the issue, suggesting strategic silence has overshadowed a potential global catastrophe.

Her remarks came during the 2025 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, held from June 18 to 21, focusing on "Shared Values: The Foundation of Growth in a Multipolar World."