Ukrainian Intelligence: Russia could use Crimea to launch a nuclear attack on Europe
The representative of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Defense Ministry of Ukraine, Vadim Skibitsky, announced on Hromadske Radio on August 2nd that the Crimea could become an outpost from which Russia could conduct nuclear strikes on Europe.
According Skibitsky, the Russian Black Sea Fleet annually trains on the use of nuclear weapons. He says that they are currently carrying out intensive retrofitting the fleet with new submarines, frigates, aircraft and other types of military equipment capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
"The Russian Defense Minister, Sergey Shoygu, personally oversees the creation of the nuclear fortress in occupied Crimea," Skibitsky said. "The transfer of Russia’s nuclear arsenal to the Crimea can cause an ecological disaster in the Black Sea basin as well as the entire European continent."
Russia has not yet commented on these statements by the Ukrainian military.
Last week Skibitsky said that the Russian Federation is constantly building up its military power in the Crimea.
Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu reported during a meeting of college authorities in Moscow on July 27th that a self-sustaining group of Russian troops has been deployed on Crimean territory. In his opinion, this is largely due to the "build-up of NATO’s military presence in Eastern Europe and the situation in Ukraine.”