Ukraine, Putin: “Nuclear threat to Russia”

“If Ukraine acquires tactical nuclear weapons, it will be a strategic threat to Russia. Ukraine had, in its Soviet past, very extensive nuclear skills, in terms of reactors, technology, knowledge, specialists. It would be very easy. equip itself with nuclear weapons compared to countries that have to start from scratch “. These are the words of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, at a press conference in Moscow. Putin’s three requests to Ukraine, in what appears to be an ultimatum: the government of Kiev should withdraw its request for NATO membership, demilitarize the country and recognize the annexation of Crimea to Russia. Read also The president dwells on the prospect of a Ukraine equipped with nuclear weapons. “They can’t enrich uranium. But it’s just a matter of hardware, it’s not a problem they can’t solve. As for the delivery systems for these potential nuclear weapons, they have old Soviet missiles that can hit targets a hundreds of kilometers away, “Putin says.” And even if Ukraine does equip itself with tactical nuclear weapons, it will be a strategic threat to Russia. And that’s what we consider now. Once you have a hundred-kilometer launch capacity , then you have two hundred, then three hundred. Moscow would be within range of a nuclear missile. That’s why we take the matter so seriously “, he adds” I didn’t say that after this press conference we will see the presence of Russian forces in the republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, Putin said after a new meeting – today as usual behind closed doors – of the Security Council. “It is impossible to predict scenarios, it will depend on the situation on the ground”, he continues.