Russia's foreign intelligence agency, the SVR, has claimed that the United Kingdom and France are preparing to supply Ukraine with nuclear weapons. The SVR alleged this move by Kyiv's allies aims to achieve a "victory over Russia."
These claims, amplified by Russian state media, lack any supporting evidence and contradict international law, including the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Under the NPT, Ukraine is a non-nuclear state, while the UK and France are recognized nuclear powers.
Ukraine's foreign ministry spokesperson dismissed the allegations as a repeat of "old 'dirty bomb' nonsense" from Russian officials known for spreading lies. France's Foreign Ministry, via its X account addressing misinformation, stated that "Nuclear brinkmanship won’t hide the overwhelming international support for Ukraine."
The UK Ministry of Defence has not publicly commented, but reports indicate the British government denies the allegations, calling them untrue. Germany's Ministry of Defence offered no comment on SVR claims that Berlin refused to participate in such a venture.
Experts suggest Moscow often disseminates such falsehoods around significant events, like the anniversary of the full-scale invasion, to divert attention from military setbacks. Similar unsubstantiated claims regarding a "dirty bomb" were made in 2022 and later refuted by the IAEA. Analysts believe these narratives aim to discredit Western nations, particularly those leading discussions on potential troop deployments to Ukraine.