MOSCOW, June 3. /TASS/. Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said Ukraine’s declared intention to obtain nuclear weapons could be the last straw for Russia, after which the decision to launch the special military operation was made.
"Ukraine’s declared intention to return to nuclear weapons might have been the last straw that affected the final decision-making," he said in an interview to Qatar’s Al Jazeera television. "Under those circumstances, our country had to ensure due level of security".
That is why Russian President Vladimri Putin made the decision to carry out the special military opration, Medvedev said.
In his words, NATO’s continuous expansion remained the factor of permanent concern for Russia, and Moscow made that clear at all diplomatic levels. The official also reiterated that Moscow had submitted its draft security agreements to Washington and NATO headquarters in Brussels in an attempt to be heard.
"They would not listen. They were saying the same thing over and over again: everyone can join NATO, we will expand as much as we want," Medvedev said.
"It is totally clear that it was a direct and clear threat to us. NATO bases on Russain borders, where strike missiles could be deployed would turn all security matters upside down. This level of threat would be absolutely unacceptable for us, and we have said that many times before," he added.