Russian MoFA spokesperson asserts nuclear arsenal won't be deployed in Ukraine amid war

Opining on the escalating war in Eastern Europe, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Alexei Zaitsev on Friday stated that Kremlin has no plans to deploy nuclear weapons in Ukraine. He further underscored that Russia firmly follows the principle that "there can be no winners in nuclear wars and it must not be initiated." Addressing a press briefing, Zaitsev noted that nuclear arsenal will not help in achieving the goals that they have set for their "special military operation" in Ukraine.

"We had to refute repeatedly the insinuations about Russia’s potential use of nuclear weapons during the special military operation in Ukraine. This is a deliberate lie. Russia firmly adheres to the principle that there can be no winners in a nuclear war and it must never be unleashed," Alexei Zaitsev said during the press briefing. 

While speaking to reporters, Alexei Zaitsev stated that they have witnessed evidence that their Western colleagues and Kyiv "may come up with all sorts of provocations." He further asserted that Russia is ready to face any turn of events on the ground or in the media. He also pointed out that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that Kremlin has never stopped its efforts to reach an agreement that would assure the "prevention of nuclear war." He called on the West to stop making a statement that would lead to anti-Russia actions and called them "unacceptable." Furthermore, he refuted the claims that suggested that the United Kingdom might get hit with a nuclear strike. 

Zaitsev accuses Ukraine of blocking evacuation of civilians to Russia amid war

Speaking about the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry accused Kyiv of blocking the evacuation of civilians from Ukraine to Russia. He noted that around 1.1 million people have left Ukraine to travel to Russia and another 2.7 million people have expressed readiness to visit Russia. He added that Ukrainian nationalists and foreign mercenaries have been involved in the war against civilians in Ukraine and the republics of Donbass. He further accused them of shelling indiscriminately at the communities of Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republic. He claimed that firing positions have been set up in hospitals, schools and kindergartens and Ukrainian military equipments have been placed in residential areas. It is to note here that the Russian military offensive in Ukraine which started in February continues for more than 70 days. 

Image: AP