British military intelligence said the Russian private military company, the Wagner Group, has been deployed to eastern Ukraine.

The Kremlin's Spasskaya Tower and St. Basil's Cathedral are seen through an art object in Zaryadye park in Moscow, Russia March 15, 2022. (photo credit: EVGENIA NOVOZHENINA/REUTERS)
The Kremlin’s Spasskaya Tower and St. Basil’s Cathedral are seen through an art object in Zaryadye park in Moscow, Russia March 15, 2022. (photo credit: EVGENIA NOVOZHENINA/REUTERS)

 

Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov told PBS in an interview on Monday that Russia would resort to nuclear weapons only in the case of a “threat to the existence” of his country – and not as a result of the current conflict with Ukraine.

“But any outcome of the operation (in Ukraine), of course is not a reason for the usage of a nuclear weapon,” Peskov said. “We have a security concept that very clearly states that only when there is a threat for existence of the state, in our country, we can use and we will actually use nuclear weapons to eliminate the threat for the existence of our country.”

Wagner Group

British military intelligence said on Monday the Russian private military company, the Wagner Group, has been deployed to eastern Ukraine.

“They are expected to deploy more than 1,000 mercenaries, including senior leaders of the organization, to undertake combat operations,” Britain’s Ministry of Defence said.

The report claims that Wagner personnel have been prioritized for the conflict in Ukraine rather than in operations in Africa and Syria. This was motivated by heavy losses and an invasion that has been slowed due to fierce Ukrainian resistance and severe logistical issues.

As reported by The Jerusalem Post