Ukrainian authorities are seriously considering the possibility of restoring their nuclear arsenal if Russia makes another attempt to capture Kyiv. This was reported by Bild, citing a high-ranking Ukrainian official.
According to the official, Ukraine will not tolerate another wave of aggression from Russia, and in the event of a renewed attack on the capital, the country will be forced to take drastic measures. The official emphasized that Ukraine voluntarily gave up its nuclear weapons in the 1990s but still possesses the necessary resources and knowledge to restore them. He also mentioned that if the order is given, it would only take a few weeks to create the first nuclear bomb.
“We have the materials, we have the knowledge. If the order is given, it will take us only a few weeks to get the first bomb,” the official, involved in arms supplies, emphasized. He also added that Western countries should pay less attention to Russia’s so-called “red lines” and focus more on Ukraine’s security and interests.
Zelensky: Ukraine’s nuclear disarmament – unfulfilled promises of the Budapest Memorandum
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking at a European Council meeting in Brussels, reminded that the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, signed by Russia, the US, and the UK, guaranteed Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty in exchange for giving up nuclear weapons. However, according to Zelensky, these guarantees are no longer being honored.
“The Budapest Memorandum promised us security. Today, that document is practically meaningless. Our security can now be guaranteed either by NATO membership or nuclear weapons,” the president emphasized.
Zelensky also pointed out the injustice of Ukraine’s nuclear disarmament, stressing that Ukraine voluntarily gave up its nuclear weapons but is now the only former nuclear power engaged in war.
Ukraine denies Bild’s report on restoring nuclear arsenal
However, Zelensky’s team has dismissed the information published by Bild regarding Ukraine’s intention to restore its nuclear arsenal. Presidential adviser Dmytro Lytvyn called the Bild article “nonsense,” stating that the journalist’s claims are easy to confuse with Russian propaganda.
“We have never stated that we plan to create nuclear weapons,” Zelensky clarified during a joint briefing with NATO Secretary General Rutte following their meeting.
Threat of North Korean involvement in the war
Furthermore, the Ukrainian president revealed that, according to Ukrainian intelligence, North Korea may send up to 10,000 soldiers to temporarily occupied territories in Ukraine, although they remain in North Korea for now.
This development raises further concerns, as the involvement of foreign troops, such as North Koreans, complicates the already difficult situation on the front, creating new challenges for Ukrainian forces.
Also read: Russia seeks to legalize cryptocurrency under sanctions pressure – Bloomberg.