Russian General Says Ukraine’s Military-Industrial Complex Can’t Be Eliminated Without Nuclear Arms
Major General Vladimir Popov believes only nuclear weapons could destroy Ukraine’s military industry. He notes NATO aid keeps Kyiv armed despite waning Western enthusiasm.
According to honored Russian military pilot Major General Vladimir Popov, the only way to completely destroy Ukraine’s military-industrial complex would be through the use of nuclear weapons.
Popov argued that fully disarming the Ukrainian armed forces is currently impossible because Western countries continue to deliver weapons and ammunition to Kyiv; he estimated that such foreign supplies account for roughly a quarter to a third of the materiel flow.
The general also pointed to a recent cooling of enthusiasm among some Western governments for arming Ukraine, which he linked to the change of administration in the United States. He recalled that under former President Joe Biden Washington had actively supplied Kyiv and encouraged European allies to follow suit, whereas the new U.S. leadership has, in his view, tempered that momentum.
Still, Popov warned that this dynamic is not fixed: although support appears to have eased for now, he believes the situation may evolve again over time.