West could trigger nuclear war over Ukraine, Russia diplomat says at UN

At a nuclear nonproliferation convention, a Russian diplomat disregarded Russia would use a nuclear weapon.
REUTERS/David 'Dee' Delgado

The battle in Ukraine doesn't warrant Russia’s use of nuclear weapons, however Moscow might resolve to make use of its nuclear arsenal in response to “direct aggression” by NATO international locations over the invasion, Russia stated on Tuesday on the United Nations.

At a nuclear nonproliferation convention, Russian diplomat Alexander Trofimov rejected “totally unfounded, indifferent from actuality and unacceptable speculations that Russia allegedly threatens to make use of nuclear weapons, notably in Ukraine.”

Inside days of Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion, Putin put the nation’s deterrence forces – which embody nuclear arms – on excessive alert, citing what he referred to as aggressive statements by NATO leaders and Western financial sanctions towards Moscow.

Trofimov, a senior diplomat within the non-proliferation and arms management division of Russia’s overseas ministry, stated Moscow would solely use nuclear weapons in response to weapons of mass destruction or a traditional weapons assault that threatened the existence of the Russian state.

“None of those two hypothetical eventualities is related to the scenario in Ukraine,” Trofimov informed the U.N. convention to overview the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Nevertheless, he accused NATO international locations of a “fierce hybrid confrontation” towards Russia that now “dangerously balances on the sting of open navy conflict.”

“Such a transfer would have the ability to set off one of many two emergency eventualities described in our doctrine,” Trofimov stated. “We clearly stand for stopping this, but when Western international locations attempt to check our resolve, Russia is not going to again down.”

Russia on Tuesday accused the US of direct involvement within the Ukraine struggle.

Moscow stated it was responding to feedback by a Ukrainian official about the way in which Kyiv had used U.S.-made and equipped Excessive Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers primarily based on what the official referred to as wonderful satellite tv for pc imagery and real-time info.