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Military operation in Ukraine

Russia does not pursue nuclear confrontation aims in Ukraine — chief delegate in Vienna

Konstantin Gavrilov did not rule out that the Western countries might stage provocations on Ukrainian territory at any moment

MOSCOW, May 4. /TASS/. Russia does not pursue any nuclear war-related aims on the territory of Ukraine, Russia’s chief delegate to military security and arms control negotiations in Vienna, Konstantin Gavrilov, told the Rossiya-24 round-the-clock television news channel on Wednesday.

Asked if the issue of nuclear deterrence had been brought up at the Vienna forum, Gavrilov said that the Russian delegation’s task was to convey the Russian leadership’s message.

"This is a forum where we can explain to everybody that we by no means pursue any nuclear war-related aims on the territory of Ukraine," Gavrilov said.

He stressed that at the Vienna forum, Russia was determined to keep the focus on the activity of biological laboratories in Ukraine.

"This issue has not been explored thoroughly enough yet. Many new findings are apparently to surface soon, and we will bring them into the limelight," he promised. The chief Russian delegate speculated that the United States might use the Belarusian presidency at the forum to steer clear of this issue.

He did not rule out that the Western countries might stage provocations on Ukrainian territory at any moment.

"We are always on guard for preventing this. I have no doubts that they are capable of staging provocations. They will not stop at anything," Gavrilov said. "This is a clash between good and evil. It is an existential issue. They are well aware of this.

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Foreign policy Military operation in Ukraine

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