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Ukraine has called on the world’s nuclear powers not to ignore joint military exercises by Russia and Belarus, warning that such actions pose a growing threat to global security, UATV English reports.
Speaking at a United Nations Security Council meeting, Ukraine’s Permanent Representative Andrii Melnyk urged countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and China to respond to what he described as escalating nuclear risks.
According to Ukrinform, Melnyk said that Russia’s rhetoric of strength is increasingly accompanied by nuclear coercion.
He pointed to Moscow’s planned test of the RS-28 Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads, as well as repeated nuclear threats following setbacks on the battlefield.
Melnyk described the Russian-Belarusian drills as “an unprecedented challenge to global security,” noting that the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus and the joint exercises violate the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
“We need a new sanctions regime targeting Russia’s nuclear arsenal,” he said.
The Ukrainian envoy also argued that recent events highlight Russia’s weakening position rather than its strength. He described the May 9 military parade in Moscow as a “Potemkin spectacle” and a “theatrical display,” suggesting it exposed the limits of Russia’s power.
“What was intended as a demonstration of strength instead signaled the beginning of the end of Russia’s imperial ambitions,” Melnyk said.
He added that Ukraine’s ability to conduct long-range drone strikes inside Russian territory has forced Moscow to adjust its military posture.
“The illusion of Russia’s invincibility has been broken,” he stressed.
The remarks came as the UN Security Council convened an emergency meeting to discuss Russia’s latest large-scale attacks on Ukraine.
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