Turchynov: Nuclear weapons in the Crimea creates a global threat

Placement of nuclear weapons by Russia in occupied Crimea entirely destroys the balance of power in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean basin and creates a global threat, said Olexander Turchynov, Secretary of National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, during the 8th Kyiv Security Forum organized bythe Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation.

“The threat from Russia is not local, it is global. An evidence of this is a systematic work on placement of offensive nuclear weapons in the occupied territories of the Crimea,” – he said.

As the NSDC Secretary mentioned, data from the intelligence of Ukraine and partner countries provides information about such steps of Russia. “It is about the deployment of land, sea and air-based nuclear weapons,” – he said.

According to Turchynov, nuclear weapons threaten not only Ukraine but first of all Europe as well. “This is a serious threat that must be stopped because the balance of powers at the Black Sea region and the Mediterranean Basin is getting almost completely destroyed,” – said the Secretary of the National Security Council.

Turchynov also pointed to the risk that in case of resumption of hostilities in Ukraine, it could develop into a “continental war”. “We must clearly understand that if hostilities resume, they will be developing at the most high and dangerous level. These hostilities can escalate into a full-scale continental war,” – he said.

Turchynov underscored that Russian aggression in Ukraine destroys the global security architecture: “This is a challenge for Europe, for the entire civilized world because there is destruction of the global collective security system, which was highly difficult to achieve after the Second World War. Russia wants to legalize its’ right to solve any issue by means of force”.

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The annual international event ‘Kyiv Security Forum’, established by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation in 2007 is aplatform to discuss the most pressing issues concerning the security in Europe and the Black Sea region. The Forum is aimed at promoting security cooperation between the European Union and the Black Sea Region, raising awareness of the development of security among key players and strengthening the role of independent and non-governmental actors in solving security problems in Europe.