According to available information, the Russian Federation is currently preparing for the deployment of nuclear weapons on the territory of the temporarily occupied Crimean Peninsula, Ukrainian Defense Minister Andriy Taran said in an interview with Turkish media on the eve of the meeting in Kyiv of the Ministers of Defense and Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and Turkey in the “quadriga” format.
“Russia’s preparation for the deployment of nuclear weapons in Crimea poses a serious threat to the whole of Europe and the civilized world. The attempt of the Russian Federation to establish dominance in the Black Sea basin is a big threat to the economies of Ukraine, Turkey, and other European countries,” the press service of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry quoted Taran as saying on Dec. 18.
The Defense Minister also called Russia’s obstruction of free navigation in the Kerch Strait dangerous. Russia’s attempts to suppress communications by means of electronic warfare impede the navigation of aircraft and shipping in the Black Sea. This concern is also shared by other countries in the region, in particular Romania.
