Chubarov says Russia placing nuclear weapons in Crimea would be step to nuclear war
Refat Chubarov, leader of the Crimean Tatar national movement in Ukraine and worldwide, has told Radio NV that the possible deployment of Russian nuclear weapons in Crimea would a final step to a nuclear war.
Speaking to the station on April 8, Chubarov pointed to the lively debate that arose after Russian dictator Vladimir Putin said he would place tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, where they would threaten Poland and Lithuania.
"However, if such weapons are placed in the occupied Crimea, I believe Russia will reveal all of its cards,” Chubarov said.
“It would be a direct threat to NATO members in this (Black Sea) region such as Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania. These countries would become Russia's targets. It would be (as I believe, although I'm not a military person) direct preparations for a nuclear war. We’d be heading towards a nuclear war.”
Putin announced his nuclear threats on March 25, saying the move would be made in response to the U.K. saying it would supply Ukraine with ammunition with depleted uranium.
However, the dictator had said some months ago that Russia planned to place nuclear weapons in Belarus.
The dictator said that Russia has modernized ten Belarusian aircraft to be used with tactical nuclear weapons. The Russians have also transferred an Iskander missile system capable of launching nuclear warheads.
Meanwhile, the construction of a tactical nuclear weapon storage facility in Belarus is to be finished by July, the Kremlin announced.
Many countries have condemned Putin's nuclear threats. The European Union said it was ready to impose new sanctions against Russia, while the United States reported it hadn’t seen any signs of nuclear weapons being transported to Belarus.
China on March 31 said it opposed the idea of transferring nuclear weapons to third countries.
Belarusian aircraft are now capable of launching nuclear strikes, Russia's Minister of Defense Sergey Shoigu said on April 4.
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