The director of the CIA perceived a "real threat" of Russia employing tactical nuclear weapons during the early stages of the conflict in Ukraine.

• William Burns, the CIA Director, stated in fall 2022 that there was a significant risk of Russia employing nuclear weapons in its conflict against Ukraine.
• Burns stated that the U.S. conveyed the repercussions of employing nuclear weapons to Russia.
• The CIA director stated that the U.S. should not be "unnecessarily intimidated" by President Putin's saber-rattling.

William Burns, the CIA Director, believed that Russia could use nuclear weapons against Ukraine in the fall of 2022, but he advised the West not to be intimidated by Putin's threats.

Burns emphasized the dangers of escalation during a conversation with Richard Moore at the Financial Times Weekend Festival on Saturday.

Burns stated that in the fall of 2022, there was a genuine risk of the potential use of tactical nuclear weapons.

Burns stated that he believes Putin is a bully who will continue to saber-rattle, despite his agency's view that they should not be unnecessarily intimidated by him.

The CIA director, William Burns, met with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Naryshkin, at the end of 2022 at President Joe Biden's order to reiterate the consequences of nuclear escalation.

Burns stated on Saturday that we have remained straightforward about that.

The White House did not respond to CNBC's request for comment sent outside of regular business hours.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Kremlin has frequently indicated that it might employ nuclear weapons in the conflict.

Since Ukraine's offensive into Russia's Kursk region in early August, the hints have become louder that Putin will respond with a "worthy" action.

The Kursk offensive boosted morale for Ukrainian troops and exposed some of the vulnerabilities of Putin's Russia and his military, according to Burns.

Russia's nuclear doctrine is defensive and based on deterrence, permitting the use of nuclear weapons in response to an attack with nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction against Russia or its allies, as well as a conventional attack that endangers the existence of the Russian state.

In response to Ukraine's incursion into Kursk, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated on Sunday that the Kremlin is currently working on modifications to the nuclear code.

Ryabkov stated that there is a clear direction to make adjustments, but he did not provide specifics on whether the nuclear doctrine changes would be finalized.