Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. Before the escalated invasion of Ukraine, the political and military leadership of Russia alleged that Ukraine was planning to regain its nuclear status and that it would be receiving the help of Western countries. This claim was reiterated on 9 May 2022, almost three months following the full-scale invasion, during the closely watched Victory Day