Russian Security Council Vice President Dmitry Medvedev has warned that Russia will launch a pre-emptive nuclear strike against Ukraine if Ukrainians receive nuclear weapons from their allies.
“There are inexorable laws in war. If there are [o fornecimento à Ucrânia de] nuclear weapons, a pre-emptive strike will have to be launched,” said Medvedev, quoted on Friday by the official Russian agency TASS, during a visit to Vietnam.
Medvedev added that NATO countries are expanding the types of weapons they send to Ukraine and that “the Kiev regime is likely to receive fighter jets (F-16)” and “maybe nuclear weapons”.
“But it means missiles with nuclear payloads will fall” on the Ukrainians, Medvedev said, President of Russia from 2008 to 2012 and current leader of United Russia, the Kremlin-affiliated political party.
Medvedev’s comments come after Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced on Thursday the start of the transfer of Russian tactical nuclear weapons to his territory.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stressed that the transfer of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus does not mean that they will be transferred to the allied country.
“Russia will not transfer nuclear weapons to the Republic of Belarus. Control of these weapons and the decision to use them remains with the Russian side,” Shoigu stressed.
Source: DN
