Ukraine war: Russia says strategic nuclear weapons can be used to defend annexed regions

Former president Dmitry Medvedev said ‘there is no going back’ on the upcoming referendums to be held in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory

He added the protection of all the regions would be significantly strengthened by the Russian armed forces

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Ukrainian soldiers have a break on their way to the frontline against Russian troops in the Donetsk region on September 21. Photo: AFP

Published: 7:31pm, 22 Sep 2022

Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday that any weapons in Moscow’s arsenal, including strategic nuclear weapons, could be used to defend territories incorporated in Russia from Ukraine.

Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said that referendums being organised by Russian-installed and separatist authorities in large swathes of Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory will take place, and that “there is no going back”.

“The Donbas [Donetsk and Luhansk] republics and other territories will be accepted into Russia.”

Medvedev said the protection of all the territories would be significantly strengthened by the Russian armed forces, adding:

“Russia has announced that not only mobilisation capabilities, but also any Russian weapons, including strategic nuclear weapons and weapons based on new principles, could be used for such protection.”

The referendums due to take place in the Russian-held parts of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia provinces, as well as part of Mykolayiv province, from Friday are widely expected to produce results overwhelmingly endorsing joining Russia.