MOSCOW, June 24. /TASS/. Moscow has never made nuclear threats, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday following the first Conference of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

"Statements about mutual threats of using nuclear weapons, which we heard before the conference, are perplexing, as well as statements about Russia’s alleged nuclear blackmail that were made at the conference. We would like to reiterate that Russia has never made any nuclear threats," she pointed out.

According to Zakharova, Russia’s approach is based solely on the logic of nuclear deterrence, particularly in a situation "where NATO countries, which proclaimed themselves a nuclear alliance, escalated the Ukrainian crisis and launched a hybrid campaign against Russia, are dangerously poised on the brink of a direct armed conflict."

The Russian diplomat noted that as long as there were nuclear weapons, the logic of nuclear deterrence remained an effective way to prevent nuclear conflict and large-scale wars. "Russia’s policy is based on the need to prevent nuclear war and attempts to distort it for propaganda purposes are unacceptable," she emphasized.