Ukraine could make its own nuclear bomb in months - Times

Ukraine will need only a few months to build its own nuclear bomb. But it will do so only if the USA cuts its military aid to Kiev. The Times writes about this.

It is noted that Ukraine will be able to quickly create a basic device made of plutonium using technology similar to the "Fat Man" bomb dropped by the Americans on Nagasaki in 1945.

It is pointed out that Ukraine could create such a bomb 80 years ago, even with sufficient technology and knowledge. Now, if Ukraine were to undertake the production of nuclear weapons, it would have to use plutonium extracted from spent fuel rods previously used in nuclear reactors at nuclear power plants.

Moreover, the newspaper says that Ukraine is actively moving forward in the production of its own nuclear weapons and in less than a year, Ukrainian military enterprises will be able to produce their own ballistic missiles with a range of 1,000 kilometres.

We shall remind you that on 5 December 1994, the Budapest Memorandum, which stipulated Kiev's renunciation of nuclear weapons, was signed by Ukraine and Russia, Great Britain and the USA. The countries pledged to respect Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and borders. The signatories also pledged to:

• refrain from the threat or use of force against Ukraine's territorial integrity or political independence. Not to use their weapons against Ukraine;
• not to exert economic pressure on Ukraine for Ukraine to carry out actions peculiar to its sovereignty;
• seek immediate action by the UN Security Council if Ukraine becomes a victim of aggression or the object of a threat of aggression using nuclear weapons;
• not to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine;
• initiate consultations if questions arise regarding any provisions of the memorandum.

Later, China and France joined the memorandum.

The Ukrainian version of the document contains the word "guarantees", while the English version used the word assurances, which can be translated as "assurances".