Russia Warns of Retaliation Over U.S. Nuclear Weapons in Ukraine
Russia’s Deputy Chair of the Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, issued a stark warning Tuesday, stating that any transfer of U.S. nuclear weapons to Ukraine would be considered a nuclear attack on Russia. The statement, shared via Telegram and summarized by RT, underscores escalating tensions as Western support for Ukraine intensifies. The U.S., U.K., and France are currently using nuclear-capable missiles armed with conventional explosives to strike targets in Russia.
Medvedev emphasized that merely delivering nuclear arms to Ukraine could trigger Russia’s nuclear response under Paragraph 19 of its Basic Principles of State Policy on Nuclear Deterrence. “The fact of transferring such weapons may be considered as the launch of an attack against our country,” Medvedev said.
This warning comes as the U.S., U.K., and France continue supplying Ukraine with missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, though they have only been tipped with conventional explosives so far. Medvedev argued that such actions represent direct preparation for war against Russia.
The former Russian president also criticized President Joe Biden, calling him “crazy” and accusing him of reckless escalation. “My sad joke about crazy senile Biden, who’s eager to go out with a bang and take a substantial part of humanity with him, is becoming dangerously real,” Medvedev said.
Medvedev labeled the concept of arming Ukraine with nuclear weapons as an act of “massive paranoid psychosis.” He argued that providing nuclear arms to a nation actively at war with the world’s largest nuclear power is irrational and dangerous.
The remarks follow Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s controversial “victory plan” presented in October, which included classified objectives. Subsequent reports suggested Ukraine could pursue nuclear capabilities, sparking further denials and counterclaims from Kyiv.
The situation raises serious concerns over the potential escalation of the Ukraine conflict, with nuclear rhetoric heightening the already precarious standoff between NATO allies and Russia.
