Vladimir Putin: I will not allow nuclear weapons in Ukraine under any circumstances

The Russian President Vladimir Putin called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's statement on the creation of nuclear weapons a provocation. Russia will not under any circumstances allow the appearance of such a weapon in Ukraine, Putin assured. He warned that any step taken by Kiev in this direction would lead to a corresponding reaction, writes "Kommersant”.

"I can say right away that Russia will not allow this (the creation of nuclear weapons in Ukraine) under any circumstances... There can be no subjunctive mood here. Let's not guess over coffee whether the British, or who else, will drop nuclear weapons (on Kiev)... We need both the corresponding fund and corresponding actions. It's impossible to hide. It's like a needle in a bag, it can't be hidden. We can follow any movement in this direction”, assured Vladimir Putin at a meeting with the heads of leading media of the BRICS countries.

The Russian president noted that in the modern world it is not difficult to create a nuclear weapon, but "it is not so simple for Ukraine today." "Every step in this direction will be met with a corresponding reaction," the Russian president assured.

Vladimir Putin recalled that the current leadership of Ukraine repeatedly raised the topic of nuclear weapons even before the start of the active phase of the Ukrainian crisis. "At that time, they were already talking about Ukraine having to have nuclear weapons,”, Putin recalled.

The day before, on October 17, the German publication Bild, citing a Ukrainian official "specialized in weapons supplies", reported that Ukraine has enough resources and competences to develop a nuclear weapon within a few weeks. Zelensky's office denied Bild's information about Kiev's possibilities.