Russia accuses Western nations of planning to give nuclear weapons to Ukraine

Russian officials, including Dmitry Medvedev and the Kremlin, made a series of public statements accusing the United Kingdom and France of planning to transfer nuclear weapons or nuclear technologies to Ukraine. They described these alleged plans as 'insane' and a violation of international law.

Medvedev, a senior Russian security official, warned that such a transfer would be a direct path to world war and that Russia would be forced to respond, including with the potential use of tactical nuclear weapons. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also claimed Ukraine was orchestrating terrorist attacks, including an attempt on a Russian general's life.

Ukraine has denied the Russian claims about nuclear weapons, calling them 'absurd' and 'baseless.' The accusations and warnings from Moscow come ahead of the anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.