Ukraine says providing it with weapons best way to prevent ‘Russian tragedies’

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukraine said Thursday that the best way to prevent “future tragedies created by Russia” is to provide Kyiv with the weapons it needs.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba’s comments came as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Moscow is planning an attack on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

“Now there will be a lot of quiet diplomatic work, and I think Russia will be sent a warning about what will happen if it takes this step. Whether the Russian Federation will listen is another question," Kuleba said in an interview with Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne.

“We never tire of repeating that the best way to prevent future tragedies created by Russia is to give Ukraine the weapons it needs to drive the Russian Federation out of Ukraine,” he said.

Kuleba said as long as Russia “controls at least one square meter of our land, it will have the space of this square meter to stage tragedies.”

“I talk to different people in London and say: You know, you and I look at this story differently. You say this cannot be done, because it will lead to escalation on the part of Russia. We have gained some experience in 15 months, and we tell you: Russia is escalating regardless of whether you do something or not,” he added.

Earlier in the day, Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian intelligence received information that Russia is considering a “terrorist attack” on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant that could involve radiation leakage.

The Kremlin slammed the claim as a “lie,” noting that Moscow and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are determined to continue dialogue regarding the situation at the plant.​​​​​​​

The Zaporizhzhia plant, the biggest in Europe and among the 10 largest in the world, has been under Russia's control since March last year, soon after the start of the Ukraine war. Since then, both Moscow and Kyiv have accused each other of shelling it.​​​​​​​