Russia threatens nuclear war if Ukrainian counteroffensive pushes Kremlin forces out of the country
31 July 2023, 13:52 | Updated: 31 July 2023, 14:23
A top Russian politician has threatened nuclear war if Ukraine's counteroffensive is successful.
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Former president and key Putin ally Dmitry Medvedev said that Russia would be left with no other option but to launch nuclear missiles if Ukraine succeeds in "tear[ing] away" land occupied by the Kremlin.
Russia has annexed Crimea and four provinces of eastern Ukraine, although Kyiv has succeeded in taking parts of some of these regions back.
Ukraine is currently in a counteroffensive to try to push demoralised Russian forces out of its country, although progress is slow.
Russia has claimed that the counteroffensive is "failing", while Ukraine says it is simply being careful, and remains committed to drive the Russian invaders beyond its borders.
Mr Medvedev, who was Russia's president from 2008-2012 and has also been Prime Minister, said Russia would be legally entitled to launch nuclear weapons if Ukraine took back the parts of the country that the Kremlin considers Russian.
"Our armed forces, reflecting the counteroffensive of our collective enemy, defend the citizens of Russia and of the world," Mr Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia's security council, said on Telegram. "That is obvious to all normal people.
"But as well as that, they are preventing global conflict.
"After all, if you imagine that the Ukrainian counteroffensive with the support of NATO is successful and they succeed in tearing away a part of our country, then we would be within our rights to use nuclear weapons, according to the decree of the president from June 2, 2020.
"There will simply be no other outcome."
He added: "So our enemies should pray for our warriors’ (success). They are making sure that a global nuclear fire is not ignited,”
Russian aggression has gone bankrupt on the battlefield. Today is already the five hundred and twenty-second day of the so-called "special military operation," which the Russian leadership expected to last for a week or two. Ukraine is getting stronger. Gradually, the war is… pic.twitter.com/4JQczc3UfY
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 30, 2023
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia was struggling and Ukraine was "getting stronger" during the counteroffensive.
But he warned that Russia could still launch terror attacks on critical infrastructure.
"Russian aggression has gone bankrupt on the battlefield. Today is already the five hundred and twenty-second day of the so-called 'special military operation,' which the Russian leadership expected to last for a week or two. Ukraine is getting stronger.
"Gradually, the war is returning to Russia's territory – to its symbolic centers and military bases, and this is an inevitable natural and fair process.
"But we must be aware that, just like last year, Russian terrorists can still attack our energy sector and critical facilities this winter. Today we discussed with the communities the current state of preparation for all possible scenarios."
