A international ministry spokesman on Friday stated that Moscow had no intention of deploying tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine. This comes a day after Russia’s high diplomat within the US chided Western officers for focusing on it with “baseless” accusations.
A Ukrainian serviceman walks amid destroyed Russian tanks in Bucha on the outskirts of Kyiv. (File Photo: AP/PTI)
Russia has no intention of deploying tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine, a international ministry spokesman stated on Friday, a day after Moscow’s high diplomat within the US chided Western officers for focusing on it with “baseless” accusations.
“Russia firmly abides by the principle that there can be no victors in a nuclear war and it must not be unleashed,” Alexey Zaitsev stated. He added that Russian nuclear doctrine doesn’t envisage any situations for potential strikes which might apply to Moscow’s army objectives in Ukraine.
Nevertheless, Zaitsev added that “any provocations whatsoever can be expected” from Ukraine and the West, and that Russia has to “be ready for any development in the media space and directly on the ground.”
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His assertion echoed remarks made by Russia’s ambassador in Washington on Thursday.
In an interview with Newsweek, Anatoly Antonov slammed what he referred to as “a flurry of blatant misrepresentation of Russian officials’ statements on our country’s nuclear policy.”
He accused high US army leaders – together with the Defense Secretary and Joint Chiefs of Staff – of falsely blaming Moscow for escalating nuclear tensions, calling their claims “baseless” and “part of a propaganda campaign against Russia in response to the steps taken to neutralize threats to our national security emanating from the Ukrainian territory.”
He additionally blamed the broader Western bloc for what he referred to as its “irresponsible” dealing with of the scenario in Ukraine, implying that NATO’s rhetoric and persevering with help for Kyiv contributed to heightening nuclear tensions.
“The current generation of NATO politicians clearly does not take the nuclear threat seriously,” Antonov instructed Newsweek.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov and Russia’s parliament speaker Vyacheslav Volodin each asserted this week that Moscow wouldn’t use nuclear weapons first.
