US nuclear arms in Europe to worsen regional security, Zakharova says
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Maria Zakharova warns against the deployments of US nukes in northern Europe, as tensions build up.
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Russian Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Maria Zakharova speaks to the media in Moscow, Russia, on November 2, 2022. (AP)
A possible deployment of United States nuclear weapons in northern Europe will "worsen" security in the region, the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, stated on Wednesday.
"If American nuclear weapons appear in northern Europe, the security of the countries hosting these weapons will not increase, it will worsen," Zakharova said during a press briefing.
Zakharova said other regional countries will have to be aware of such a turnout.
The spokesperson said that nuclear facilities in the region will become "legitimate targets" in case of direct engagement between Russia and NATO countries.
In late January, The Telegraph reported on Pentagon documents that indicate that the United States is set to re-station nuclear weapons in the United Kingdom for the first time since 2008 under the pretext of an increased threat from Russia.
The plans involve placing nuclear warheads at a new facility in the Royal Air Force Lakenheath, Suffolk, about 100 km northeast of London. The UK airbase is expected to house B61-12 gravity bombs, three times the size of the Hiroshima bomb, with the US Air Force operating under British regulations.
Unredacted documents from the US Department of Defense's procurement database confirm the nuclear mission, including the construction of a "surety dormitory" for safe storage.
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This report garnered the attention of Zakharova who expressed strong concerns, warning that such a move would be perceived as a significant escalation. She criticized the reported plans, characterizing them as anti-Russian and involving joint planning and exercises for nuclear attacks on Russia from non-nuclear European countries.
The situation has been further exacerbated by an increase in statements made by NATO and Western officials regarding the possibility of war with Russia. The latest Nordic Response military exercises have also drawn criticism from Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister, Alexander Grushkoasdas.
"The military is monitoring, we have all the necessary means for this. Our political position is well known. We believe that these exercises are demonstratively provocative," he stated.
He further stressed, "Any exercises, especially [those] that are held geographically close to the contact line, increase the risk of military incidents. Therefore, all necessary measures have been taken in order to ensure the defense capabilities of Russia."
Read more: US to transfer nukes to UK airbase, tensions with Russia rise
