Nuclear Attack on Russia or Sanctions? – What did Zelenskky Call Upon?

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On October 10th, Vasil Kapanadze, the guest of the program “Alternative Vision” of the pro-Russian propaganda media “Alt-Info,” noted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Western leaders to carry out preventive nuclear strikes on Russia, which “unequivocally indicates” that Zelenskyy is pushing the world towards a nuclear war.

The claim that Zelenskyy called upon the West to initiate nuclear strikes on Russia represents a misleading interpretation of Zelenskyy’s comment. In fact, Zelenskyy did mention the need for a preventive response, although he never called for a nuclear strike on Russia. The representatives of the President’s office and the President himself clarified that preventive measures against the use of nuclear weapons by Russia entail the imposition of sanctions and not a direct nuclear attack on Russia.

Vasil Kapanadze’s comment concerns the video conference held on October 8th by the Lowy Institute, an Australian research centre(1,2) where Zelensky addressed the participants and answered questions.

One of the questions dealt with the possibility of Russia using nuclear weapons. The host of the conference, the executive director of the institute, Michael Fullilove, asked Zelenskyy whether the threat of Russia’s use of nuclear weapons is real and what additional measures NATO could take to stop Russia. According to Zelenskyy, NATO should make the use of nuclear weapons impossible through preventive measures and review the consistency of its action – not to wait for the first strike from Russia. Answering the question, Zelenskyy drew a parallel with the situation before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, when the West threatened Russia with severe sanctions in the event of a war. Zelenskyy then demanded the imposition of preventive sanctions on Russia in order to avoid the invasion of Russia.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine: “But what is important, I once again appeal to the international community, as I did before February 24—we need preventative strikes, so that they’ll know what will happen to them if they use nukes, and not the other way around. Don’t wait for Russia’s nuclear strikes, and then say, ‘Oh, since you did this, take that from us!’ Reconsider the way you apply pressure. This is what NATO should do— reconsider the order in which it applies pressure [on Russia].”

Zelenskyy’s comment was misinterpreted by the Russian media as if the Ukrainian president was calling on the West to start a nuclear war. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov and Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova accused Zelenskyy of calling for a nuclear war.

On the same day of the press conference held at the Lowy Institute, representatives of the office of the President of Ukraine, Serhii Nykyforov and Mykhailo Podolyak, further clarified Zelenkyy’s words and noted that he was calling on the West to impose sanctions as a preventive measure, and not to start a nuclear war.

Serhii Nykyforov: “Colleagues, you have gone a little too far with your nuclear hysteria, and now you hear nuclear strikes even where there are none. The President spoke about the period until February 24. Then it was necessary to apply preventive measures to prevent Russia from starting the war. Let me remind you that the only measures that were about then were preventive sanctions. To blackmail the world with explosions on the UPP and to all hint at the use of nuclear weapons is afforded only by the terrorist state Russia. You will never hear such calls from Ukraine.”

Mykhailo Podolyak: “Another Russian fake. 1. Not a word from Zelenskyy about a preventive nuclear strike on Russia. 2. Zelenskyi reminded of Russian nuclear blackmail and offered the world to pre-emptively outline the consequences for Russia and intensify strikes on Russia – sanctions and armed aid [of Ukraine].”

On October 8th, Zelenskyy himself made an additional comment regarding his words. Speaking to the BBC, the Ukrainian president noted that the Ukrainian word “удар” was misunderstood. According to him, by preventive strike, he meant sanctions and not – a nuclear attack – “we are not terrorists, and we do not fight on other people’s territories”. The President of Ukraine said that the Russians translated his comment in their favour and will disseminate it that way. Zelenskyy also noted that by talking about nuclear war, Russia is preparing its own society for such a development of events, and that is why even talking about this topic is dangerous. According to Zelenskyy, action is urgent, as the Russian threat is a risk to the entire planet. The seizure of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant by the Russians already creates a nuclear threat, which can be stopped by the international community – “The world can implement the sanction package in such cases and do everything to make them leave the nuclear power plant.”

It should be noted that by October 10th, when Vasil Kapanadze spoke about Zelenskyy’s “calls” to start a nuclear war on Alt-Info, the representatives of the President’s office and Zelensky himself had already made additional explanatory comments. 


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Violation: Manipulation
Country: Russia, Ukraine
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