Seven weeks into Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Kursk Oblast, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a thinly veiled threat toward Ukraine and its allies during a Russian Security Council meeting on nuclear deterrence. "An aggression by a non-nuclear state with the participation of a nuclear state is proposed to be considered
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the largest nuclear plant in Europe, has been under Russian occupation since March 2022. Throughout its occupation, the plant has been repeatedly disconnected from the Ukrainian power grid due to Russian attacks on the country's energy infrastructure.
Russia's Defense Ministry claimed on Aug. 17 that Ukraine is allegedly planning to attack the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in Russia, which was dismissed by Ukraine's Foreign Ministry a day before.
"We officially refute these false reports. Ukraine has neither the intention nor the ability to carry out any such actions. Russia must stop spreading dangerous lies," Ukraine's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said.
Avril Haines, the U.S. Director of National Intelligence, recently warned that “Russia’s need for support in the context of Ukraine has forced it to grant some long-sought concessions to China, North Korea, and Iran with the potential to undermine, among other things, long-held non-proliferation norms.” How much does
In polling released on July 4, 10% of respondents said they believed such an attack could "definitely" be justified, while 24% said "probably."
Russian President Vladimir Putin called for the country to resume production of short and intermediate-range nuclear-capable missiles on June 28, in response to what Putin says is the United States deploying mid-range missiles across the world.
Informal discussions on nuclear weapons between the United States and China resumed in March for the first time in five years, Reuters first reported on June 21, with Beijing delegates assuring their American counterparts that they would not resort to using nuclear threats over Taiwan.
NATO countries are in discussions to deploy more nuclear weapons on standby, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told the Telegraph on June 16 as Russia continues to threaten the use of nuclear weapons.
Russia might be storing up to 100 nuclear warheads in Kaliningrad Oblast, located approximately 260 km (160 miles) from Warsaw, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski claimed on June 11, during the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin.
Belarus will participate in the second stage of Russian drills simulating the launch of tactical nuclear weapons, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin announced on June 10.
The first stage of the drills will begin with the "combat use" of Iskander and Kinzhal ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads, equipping their launch, and "covertly advancing to the designated position in preparation for missile launches."
Belarus announces sudden inspection of tactical nuclear weapons launchers, simultaneously with Russia's tactical nuclear drills. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk calls for a security meeting after Polish judge Tomasz Szmydt flees to Belarus and requests political asylum. Latvia digs an anti-tank ditch on its borders with Russia and Belarus as
The purpose of the exercises is to "maintain the readiness of personnel and equipment" to "unconditionally ensure the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Russian state," the Russian Defense Ministry said.
Speaking to Fakt, Polish President Andrzej Duda highlighted how Russia has already taken similar steps with its own allies, having transferred tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus last year.
The document, dated April 11, 2023, says the outcome of the war in Ukraine will “to a great degree determine the outlines of the future world order.”
Putin's comment marks the 11th nuclear threat the Russian president has issued since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.
"Attempts to restore Russia's 1991 borders will lead only to one thing - a global war with Western countries with the use of our entire strategic (nuclear) arsenal against Kyiv, Berlin, London, and Washington. And against all other beautiful historic places that have long been included in the flight targets of our nuclear triad," Medvedev said in a reference to the triad of intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and strategic bombers with nuclear weapons.
Editor’s note: For this story, the Kyiv Independent talked to residents who live in Russian-occupied settlements in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. For their safety, we have changed their names. From the rooftop of his home, Anton can easily see the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the largest nuclear plant in Europe that
In late June, 16 months into the full-scale Russian invasion, President Volodymyr Zelensky alerted his nation of an unprecedented threat. Russia, the president said, had rigged the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant with explosives, and was ready to set off the charges and cause radiation to leak into surrounding areas.
U.S. President Joe Biden said on Feb. 22 that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin had made a "big mistake" by suspending Russia's participation in the New START treaty, a nuclear arms reduction agreement between the two countries.
Russia has suspended its participation in the New START treaty, said Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in a speech to the Federal Assembly and members of the Russian political elite on Feb. 21. The nuclear arms reduction treaty between the U.S. and Russia was signed in 2010 in Prague. The
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