MOSCOW—Russia has “no need” to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, he said, adding that media speculation that Russia could deploy nuclear and chemical weapons in a conflict was an “absolute lie”.
“From a military point of view, it is not necessary to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine to achieve the goals set. The main purpose of Russian nuclear weapons is to deter nuclear attacks,” Sergei Shoigu said in a speech at the International Security Conference in Moscow.
“The media are spreading allegations of the alleged use of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in the course of special military operations and speculation that they are ready to use chemical weapons. All of these information attacks are complete lies. .”
Shoigu also claimed that military operations in Ukraine were being planned by the US and UK and that NATO had increased its troop deployments in Eastern and Central Europe “several times”.
Referring to the New START Treaty to control US and Russian nuclear arsenals, Shoigu said negotiations to extend the treaty were “two-way” and that the situation around it was “difficult.”
“A difficult situation has also arisen with regard to the Treaty on the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Weapons, which is valid until 2026,” Shoigu added.
“On the Russian side, the obligations are being fulfilled and the declared levels of aircraft carriers and warheads are kept within established limits.”
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