Russia says a third World War would involve nuclear weapon

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that if a third World War were to take place, it would involve nuclear weapons and be destructive, the RIA news agency reported. Lavrov said Russia would face a “real danger” if Kyiv acquired nuclear weapons, adding it would not allow the latter to obtain the same. The Kremlin launched a military offensive in Ukraine last week and has been bombarding its cities amid widespread global condemnation and unprecedented sanctions by the West. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin placed the country's nuclear deterrent forces on a "special" alert.

This came amid Russia’s claim that its military had taken control of territory around Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant as diplomats held an emergency meeting to voice their mounting concern over safety as fighting escalated. Ukrainian authorities said they maintained control of the plant itself and that a combat-ready military unit remained within the perimeter. Some residents from the nearby town of Enerhodar erected barricades to the plant, according to multiple online accounts.

In a video address on Wednesday, Zelenskiy said nearly 6,000 Russians had been killed in the first six days of Moscow's invasion, and that the Kremlin would not be able to take his country with bombs and air strikes. The invaders' advances have been met with fierce resistance by Ukrainian forces and a miles-long Russian military convoy north of Kyiv has made little progress towards the capital.