Russia will use nuclear weapons if Crimea changes

According to a recent assessment by Germany's Focus Magazine, after Crimea was annexed by Russia, Moscow has continuously increased its military strength on the peninsula.

German newspapers said that recently Russia has sent many of its newest small warships equipped with Kalibr missiles to Crimea.

Focus notes that the weapon has proven its effectiveness in Syria and has raised concerns among Western military analysts.

In addition, two S-400 air defense battalions, coastal artillery were deployed on the peninsula, and the Black Sea Fleet received several new destroyers and submarines.

Earlier, the head of the Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security Viktor Bondarev said that the deployment of S-400 Triumph and Pantsir-S1 complexes in Crimea was caused by the activation of NATO in the Black Sea region and the alliance's attention to the peninsula.

Finally, the German magazine emphasized: "Crimea is turning into an impregnable fortress of Russia."

Along with the German newspaper's comments, MP Vyacheslav Alekseyevich Nikonov also declared that Russia will use nuclear weapons if NATO touches Crimea.

The statement comes amid growing threats to the peninsula: "Russian military leaders have discussed their readiness to use nuclear weapons in a conflict with NATO military leaders. If the US and its NATO allies intend to invade Crimea, Moscow is ready to strike immediately."

Russia's statement came after Ukrainian intelligence accused Moscow of being ready to use nuclear weapons if there was war in Crimea.

In late 2016, spokesman for the Military Intelligence Department of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Mr. Vadym Skibitskiy, said that Russia could use nuclear weapons in Crimea.

"Nuclear weapons delivery vehicles are currently located on the territory of Crimea - on land and in naval bases in Sevastopol. They can be present on warships and submarines," Vadym Skibitskiy said, adding.

"The warheads could be quickly transferred to the territory of Crimea in case Russia makes such a decision. Nuclear warheads could be delivered to Crimea by plane, and would be ready for combat use."

The Ukrainian intelligence report that Russia might use nuclear weapons in Crimea is quite sensitive information. However, it may not surprise Western military circles because Russia has previously openly brought weapons of mass destruction to the peninsula.

This information was quoted by Uatoday as saying that the leader of the Tatar community in Crimea, Mustafa Dzhemilev, said that Russia had brought nuclear weapons to Crimea, including Iskander-M ballistic missiles, as soon as the peninsula was annexed into Russian territory in March 2014.

In particular, it has been known since Russia annexed Crimea. According to the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Department of Arms Control, Mikhail Ulyanovsk: "Obviously, Russia has the right to deploy nuclear weapons on its territory, in any region of Russia if Russia deems it necessary. In principle, we have that right, that's obvious."

Before Russia's steel declaration, Defense One newspaper said that Mr. Nikonov's statement is completely consistent with the current situation regarding Russia's policy of using nuclear weapons.

The magazine said that in the past, the Soviet Union maintained a policy of not using nuclear weapons against its opponents, but the administration of President Vladimir Putin changed this policy in 2000 with a new military doctrine, allowing the country's military to use nuclear weapons in a limited way "in response to a serious situation affecting the national security of the Russian Federation."