Medvedev Reissues Nuclear Threats Against Ukraine and Europe on War Anniversary

Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s Deputy Chairman of the Security Council, marked the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine by issuing renewed nuclear threats against Ukraine and parts of Europe. The statements came amid allegations circulated by Russian state-aligned media that the United Kingdom and France were allegedly preparing to supply Kyiv with nuclear capabilities, disguised as Ukraine’s own nuclear development.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented on the claims, describing them as “potentially extremely dangerous” and stating that they would be “taken into account during negotiations.” Medvedev escalated the rhetoric, asserting that Russia would be compelled to use “any weapons, including non-strategic nuclear weapons, against targets in Ukraine” under such circumstances. He added that, if necessary, Russia would target the countries supplying the alleged nuclear technology, treating them as participants in a nuclear conflict with Moscow.

The threats follow unsubstantiated claims by Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) that Paris and London were working to provide Ukraine with nuclear arms to secure more favorable terms in diplomatic negotiations. Medvedev characterized such a transfer as a “radical change” in the situation and a breach of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Russian reports specifically suggested that France might consider using the TN75 warhead from the M51.1 submarine-launched ballistic missile, though no evidence was offered to support these claims. Medvedev’s statements were delivered on his Telegram channel, repeating his long-standing pattern of issuing incendiary remarks and nuclear threats, particularly on symbolic dates connected to the Ukraine conflict.

Ukraine has consistently denied any plans to obtain nuclear weapons, recalling that it relinquished Soviet-era nuclear arms under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum. The French government dismissed the Russian allegations on social media, noting Russia’s focus on nuclear claims as a distraction from the ongoing war, now five years into what Moscow initially called a “three-day operation.”

These statements come as part of a wider pattern of Russian disinformation and intimidation, which has included repeated, unfounded threats of nuclear strikes against Ukraine and its Western allies. The international community, including Kyiv, continues to reject the allegations and maintains that any provision of nuclear arms to Ukraine is entirely baseless.