Ukraine developing missile systems to deliver nukes: Russian official

Simultaneously with the work on the creation of a nuclear explosive device, Ukraine has actively engaged in potential means of delivery of nuclear weapons, a Russian official said

Simultaneously with the work on the creation of a nuclear explosive device, Ukraine has actively engaged in potential means of delivery of nuclear weapons, a Russian official told RIA Novosti.

"In parallel, work was underway in the country to modernize existing and create new missile weapons that can be used as a means of delivering nuclear weapons," the representative said.

He stressed that at the same time, Kiev "covers" most of the developments with the implementation of joint projects with other countries, RT New reported.

For example, in December 2013, Ukraine and Turkey agreed to cooperate in the missile sphere.

"The main role in it should be played by the Ukrainian rocket and space enterprises Yuzhmashzavod and Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, which previously participated in the creation of the Soviet nuclear missile arsenal," the official said.

The main goal of such cooperation is the creation of a mobile complex that would be equipped with a solid-propellant ballistic missile with a range of up to 1,500 km, he was quoted as saying to RIA Novosti.

In addition, Yuzhmashzavod is developing a mobile ground-based missile system Grom-2 at the expense of Saudi Arabia, which, according to Kiev, will have a range of up to 280 km in the export version, claimed the official.

"However, according to experts, it is possible to upgrade it in order to increase the firing range over 500 km, according to some estimates - up to 1000 km. Since 2017, the Alibey missile range has been operated in the Odessa region to conduct flight tests of rocket technology."

The official also said that clashes at Ukraine;s Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, which caught fire last week and was subsequently seized by Russian forces, could have occurred due to the storage of documentation there.

According to the hom, Ukraine partially destroyed, partially removed the main body of documents on this topic from Kiev and Kharkiv to Lviv.

The official hinted that the documentation may be in the National University "Lviv Polytechnic".

--IANS

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