Syromolotov: The nuclear material coming to Ukraine may end up in the shadow markets of other countries

MOSCOW, April.13, (ST)- Washington has supplied Kiev with weapons worth $1.65 billion over the past month and a half, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Syromolotov said in an interview with Sputnik.

 

“All these people are well-armed due to the fact that for the past eight years NATO member states have been actively supplying weapons, ammunition, military equipment to Ukraine. Since the start of the special military operation, the size of Western military assistance to Ukraine has increased.

 

Over the past month and a half, Washington alone has supplied weapons to Kiev totaling $1.65 billion, providing hundreds of Stinger MANPADS, thousands of Javelin ATGMs, grenade launchers and other types of weapons,” Syromolotov said.

 

The diplomat added it is obvious that Kiev, which does not control the actions of the militants, will not be able to ensure the safe storage and non-proliferation of these weapons, which may subsequently end up in the shadow markets of other countries.

 

“On the 9th of last March, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky signed a law allowing all citizens of Ukraine, foreigners and stateless persons to use weapons… More than 25,000 firearms have so far been distributed to everyone without any control including the criminals who were released by the Kiev authorities from prisons,” Syromolotov clarified.

He pointing out that such a number of weapons and irregular armed formations, of course, increase the risks of extremism and terrorism in the European region and beyond.

 

On the other hand, Syromolotov said that Moscow considers the threat of chemical terrorism by fascist nationalists, who are working under the auspices of the current Kiev regime and units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces as a fact, noting that “the high probability of implementing such a scenario is conditional on multiple chemical provocations organized by US-backed armed extremist groups and its allies in NATO, as happened before in Syria.

 

We would not be surprised if similar accusations are made against us in connection with the recent events at the Zarya factory in the town of Robjnoy, where the militants pledged to blow up tanks with nitric acid so that the cloud of toxic substances produced by the wind would be carried to the liberated Kudryashovka district, “ the diplomat added.

 

He concluded by saying: “We do not exclude the repetition of such terrorist attacks, as ,according to some estimates, there are still about 40,000 tons of highly toxic substances in this plant, including nitric acids, sulfur and hydrochloric acids, as well as ammonia.”

 

Basma Qaddour