Recognizing Crimea as Russian could spread nuclear weapons – opposition leader

He shared his opinions on Espreso TV.

"The legal recognition of Crimea, not de facto, as it is currently occupied and there are no forces for de-occupation yet, would mean the collapse of the entire former security architecture: the Helsinki Accords, all UN charters would be thrown into the trash. 

In principle, there would no longer be the inviolability of borders, no longer the untouchable sovereignty of states, and the law of force would prevail. Under such conditions, this would lead to many consequences that are no longer regulated and would plunge humanity into chaos. For example, the spread of nuclear weapons," Feygin believes.

According to the politician, the legalization of Russia’s aggression and the occupation of Ukrainian territories would force countries to reconsider their security strategies. In particular, all countries would seek to possess nuclear weapons.

"Logic suggests: if there is no longer an institution that protects your sovereignty, and only force remains — and your force is insufficient (Ukraine is 40 times smaller than Russia, not to mention many other factors) — then there is no other way to protect yourself except by using a nuclear shield. Naturally, all countries would strive to possess nuclear weapons. 

Their armies would not be enough, being smaller than, for example, Russia's, and they would not have enough money to maintain large forces. But nuclear weapons are simple and effective: you have a warhead and a missile carrier to deliver it to the enemy’s capital, and Moscow would think ten times before messing with a country that has even a single nuclear warhead. And what if it has ten?" he added.

Feygin emphasized that transatlantic security, as we knew it during the Cold War and for decades after, would be replaced by nuclear security.

"This leads to the spread of nuclear weapons and a change in the nuclear deterrence doctrine — it now becomes total and multilayered. People will seriously invest in the development and improvement of nuclear, thermonuclear, and hydrogen weapons, in simplifying and upgrading them so that complicated materials like uranium or plutonium are no longer necessary. They will focus on making these types of weapons simpler and more accessible, because no other option is left. In other words, transatlantic security, as we knew it during the Cold War and for decades after, is being replaced by nuclear security. This will now become the main and dominant goal. Some countries, losing the support of the main "policeman" — the U.S. in the American-centered world — will be left to rely on themselves," the politician concluded.

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine will not legally recognize Crimea's occupation, commenting on media reports suggesting the U.S. might propose recognizing Crimea as Russian on April 23 in London.
• U.S. President Donald Trump said that the situation for Ukraine is dire. According to him, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's statement that Kyiv does not recognize the occupation of Crimea is harmful to negotiations with the Russians.
• On April 24, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys stated that questioning Crimea’s status would mean opening the gates of hell, as it would violate the principles of international law.