Russia Says It Can Deploy Nuclear Arms to Crimea

Moscow to bolster military in occupied Ukrainian peninsula

Russia’s envoy to the NATO alliance said on Friday that Moscow will bolster military forces in occupied Ukraine, and is not banned from deploying nuclear arms in Crimea.

“Everything that we do in Crimea fully complies with all obligations of the Russian Federation under international treaties. We do not violate anything, there are no prohibitions on us deploying certain weapons systems,” said Alexander Grushko, the envoy, when asked if nuclear arms would be placed in Crimea.

Grushko also declined to say whether nuclear arms currently are deployed inside the Ukrainian territory forcibly annexed by Russia in March 2014. He made the remarks in a video press conference from Moscow with reporters in Brussels, where NATO headquarters is located.

Russian Navy Will Get 50 New Ships This Year, Including Nuclear Submarines, Surface Warships, Says Admiral

Russia’s navy plans to expand its fleet by 50 ships this year as part of a massive military upgrade plan started under President Vladimir Putin last year and is to continue until 2050. Those ships include nuclear submarines to replace Russia’s aging fleet and some refurbished surface ships, the Moscow Times reported.