 Risks of direct military clash between Russia, U.S. keep growing. Risks of a direct military confrontation between two nuclear powers, Russia and the U.S. are growing constantly. Says Russian Foreign Ministry non-proliferation and arms control department Director Vladimir Yemakov. If the U.S. continues to follow its current cause towards a standoff with Russia, while constantly raising the stakes on the verge of a direct military conflict, then the fate of the New START Treaty may be concealed. Yemakov told TASS, However, in the worst case scenario, i.e. if Washington drives the situation to a military clash between the strongest nuclear powers, then it is not the fate of the New START but the fate of the entire world that will be a concern. This once again confirms that the most pressing threat today is connected to the dynamic of stimuli for the first massive strike, which is supposed to be curbed by agreements like the New START, but with the danger of nuclear escalation as a result of direct military confrontation between nuclear powers, Yemakov explained. And to our deepest regrets, these risks keep growing. This is exactly why we constantly point to the danger of U.S. and NATO's actions. Who it seems have believed in the illusion of impunity and got carried away with such chimera as escalation control and escalatory domination. The diplomat underscored. We continue sending sobering signals to the West that a catastrophe must be prevented. However, Yemakov pointed out the West remains deaf to the calls and even maliciously distorts them for propaganda purposes. The diplomat understood that in order to improve the situation, the U.S. must immediately take concrete steps on de-escalation and to abolish the hostile cause towards undermining Russia's security in practice. There is simply no other way to reverse the negative trend, Yemakov concluded.