Russia and Ukraine: The nuclear questions

Russia and Ukraine: The nuclear questions

TOPIC: Defence & Security

Context- Russia has justifies its invasion of Ukraine on grounds of the alleged nuclear threat from its smaller neighbour to the West. With the Russian army now sitting in its territory, Ukrainians are wondering if de-nuclearising was a mistake.

Concept-

• The Russia-Ukraine war could potentially trigger a nuclear disaster, threatening to expose the inhabitants and the environment to radioactive materials.
• A fire broke out March 4, 2022 at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in Zaphorizhzhia in Ukraine, following shelling by Russian forces.

About Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances 1994:

• The Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances comprises three identical political agreements signed at the OSCE conference in Budapest, Hungary on 5 December 1994to provide security assurances by its signatories relating to the accession of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
• The memorandum was originally signed by three nuclear powers: the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States.
• The memorandum included security assurances against threats or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.
• As a result of the memorandum, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine gave up their nuclear weapons.
• Until Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons, it had the world’s third-largest nuclear weapons stockpile consisting of some 1,900 strategic nuclear warheads.