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“When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, the newly independent Ukraine had on its territory what was the third largest strategic nuclear weapons arsenal in the world. It was larger than those of Britain, France, and China combined…. In return for giving up its nuclear weapons, Ukraine, the United States of America, Russia, and the United Kingdom signed the 1994 Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances, pledging to respect Ukraine territorial integrity, a pledge that was broken by Russia’s 2014 military intervention in Crimea.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_weapons_and_Ukraine

“Intermediate-range ballistic missile with a nuclear warhead RSD-10 Pioneer. It was deployed by the Soviet Union from 1976 to 1988. NATO reporting name was SS-20 Saber. It was withdrawn from service under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. Ukrainian Air Force Museum in Vinnitsa. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_weapons_and_Ukraine

Current Foreign Minister of Russia, Lavrov, actually signed the Budapest Memorandum in 1994, as seen below. He was also Foreign Minister when it was renewed in 2009. And, yet, he pretends that it’s only about not using nuclear weapons against the Ukraine, when it is about maintaining the Urkaine’s 1994 borders; its independence and sovereignty. See: https://www.polygraph.info/a/russia-violated-the-budapest-memorandum/28985642.html

From the December 1994 Budapest Memorandum, renewed in December 2009:
“The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America reaffirm their commitment to Ukraine, in accordance with the principles of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, to respect the independence and sovereignty and the existing borders of Ukraine;… to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine, and that none of their weapons will ever be used against Ukraine except in self-defence or otherwise in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations;…” https://www.msz.gov.pl/en/p/wiedenobwe_at_s_en/news/memorandum_on_security_assurances_in_connection_with_ukraine_s_accession_to_the_treaty_on_the_npt?printMode=true (The complete 1994 and 2009 Treaty texts are found further down in this post)

“When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, the newly independent Ukraine had on its territory what was the third largest strategic nuclear weapons arsenal in the world. It was larger than those of Britain, France, and China combined. On June 1, 1996 Ukraine became a non-nuclear nation when it sent the last of its 1,900 strategic nuclear warheads to Russia for dismantling.[1] The first shipment of nuclear weapons from Ukraine to Russia (by train) was in March 1994.[2] In return for giving up its nuclear weapons, Ukraine, the United States of America, Russia, and the United Kingdom signed the 1994 Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances, pledging to respect Ukraine territorial integrity, a pledge that was broken by Russia’s 2014 military intervention in Crimea.[3]” (emphasis added; references and more at link) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_weapons_and_Ukraine

The Chernobyl reactor design (RBMK) was based on Russian (USSR) plutonium production military reactors and could be refueled while in operation, making it ideal for weapons-grade plutonium production. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RBMK At the time, Ukraine was part of the USSR. The RBMK – Chernobyl Reactor was, in short, “designed to make plutonium for nuclear weapons and modified to also produce electricity.” http://www.nirs.org/reactorwatch/accidents/cherfact.htm The Chernobyl disaster is ongoing, 32 years later. The Chernobyl disaster was caused by the Soviet-US Arms Race. Everything nuclear came from the Arms Race – First between the US and Nazi Germany; then from the US-USSR. But, why is it still ongoing?

Unlike Catalonia, which has an old and unique language and culture, making it a nation-state, Crimea became Russian historically very late, through genocide: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/09/03/why-crimea-ukraine-is-scottish-not-russian-move-over-vladimir-here-comes-the-scythians/

“U.S.-RUSSIA JOINT STATEMENT ON EXPIRATION OF THE START TREATY
Media Note
Bureau of Public Affairs, Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
December 4, 2009

Following is a joint statement by the United States and the Russian Federation regarding the expiration of the Treaty on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms.

Begin text:

The United States of America and the Russian Federation recognize the significant contribution of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, and Ukraine to successful implementation of the Treaty Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (START) Treaty.

The value of the START Treaty was greatly enhanced when the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, and Ukraine removed all nuclear weapons from their territories and acceded to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as non-nuclear-weapon states. The actions of these states have enhanced the NPT regime, had a beneficial impact on international security and strategic stability, and created favorable conditions for further steps to reduce nuclear arsenals.

The United States of America and the Russian Federation welcome the commitment of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, and Ukraine to their status as non-nuclear-weapon states.

The fulfillment by these states of their obligations under the Protocol to the START Treaty of May 23, 1992, (Lisbon Protocol) and their accession to the NPT as non-nuclear-weapon states, strengthened their security, which was reflected, inter alia, in the Budapest Memoranda of December 5, 1994. In this connection, the United States of America and the Russian Federation confirm that the assurances recorded in the Budapest Memoranda will remain in effect after December 4, 2009“. (Emphasis added) http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2009/dec/133204.htm

Budapest Memorandum

“Memorandum on Security Assurances in Connection with Ukraine’s Accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons signed by Ukraine, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America

UNITED NATIONS
General Assembly
Security Council
Distr.
GENERAL
A/49/765*
S/1994/1399*
19 December 1994
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
GENERAL ASSEMBLY SECURITY COUNCIL
Forty-ninth session Forty-ninth year
Agenda items 62 and 70
GENERAL AND COMPLETE DISARMAMENT
MAINTENANCE OF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

Letter dated 7 December 1994 from the Permanent Representatives of the Russian Federation, Ukraine, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

Upon instructions from our Governments, we have the honour to transmit herewith the text of the Memorandum on Security Assurances in Connection with Ukraine’s Accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, signed on 5 December 1994 by the Presidents of Ukraine, the Russian Federation and the United States of America, and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (annex I), and the text of the Joint Declaration issued on 5 December 1994 by the leaders of our States (annex II).We should be grateful if you would have the text of the present letter and its annexes circulated as a document of the General Assembly, under agenda items 62 and 70, and of the Security Council.

(Signed) Anatoli M. ZLENKO Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations
(Signed) Sergey V. LAVROV Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations
(Signed) David HANNAY Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the United Nations
(Signed) Madeleine K. ALBRIGHT Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations

Memorandum on Security Assurances in Connection with Ukraine’s Accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapon Ukraine, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America,

Welcoming the accession of Ukraine to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as a non-nuclear-weapon State,
Taking into account the commitment of Ukraine to eliminate all nuclear weapons from its territory within a specified period of time,
Noting the changes in the world-wide security situation, including the end of the cold war, which have brought about conditions for deep reductions in nuclear forces,
Confirm the following:
1. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America reaffirm their commitment to Ukraine, in accordance with the principles of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, to respect the independence and sovereignty and the existing borders of Ukraine;
2. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America reaffirm their obligation to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine, and that none of their weapons will ever be used against Ukraine except in self-defence or otherwise in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations;
3. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America reaffirm their commitment to Ukraine, in accordance with the principles of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, to refrain from economic coercion designed to subordinate to their own interest the exercise by Ukraine of the rights inherent in its sovereignty and thus to secure advantages of any kind;
4. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America reaffirm their commitment to seek immediate United Nations Security Council action to provide assistance to Ukraine, as a non-nuclear-weapon State party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, if Ukraine should become a victim of an act of aggression or an object of a threat of aggression in which nuclear weapons are used;
5. The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America reaffirm, in the case of Ukraine, their commitment not to use nuclear weapons against any non-nuclear weapon State party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,
except in the case of an attack on themselves, their territories or dependent territories, their armed forces, or their allies, by such a State in association or alliance with a nuclear-weapon State;
6. Ukraine, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America will consult in the event a situation arises that raises a question concerning these commitments.
This Memorandum will become applicable upon signature.

Signed in four copies having equal validity in the Ukrainian, English and Russian languages.
For Ukraine:
(Signed) Leonid D. KUCHMA
For the Russian Federation:
(Signed) Boris N. YELTSIN
For the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland:
(Signed) John MAJOR
For the United States of America:
(Signed) William J. CLINTON

ANNEX II
[Original: English and Russian]
Joint Declaration issued on 5 December 1994 at Budapest by the leaders of the Russian Federation, Ukraine, the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America
The leaders of the United States of America, the Russian Federation, Ukraine and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland met during the summit meeting of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in
Europe (CSCE).
The leaders discussed the evolution of European security architecture.
They underscored their determination to support the increasingly strong
tendencies towards the formation of security based on political partnership, and to cooperate in the further development of a security system that embraces all the CSCE States. This will involve the evolution – given the new realities – of transatlantic and regional mechanisms of security in a manner that enhances the security and stability of all CSCE States.
They are committed to continuing the process of building political, military and economic security in an undivided Europe, in which integration opened for participation and transparency are characteristic.
The leaders confirmed that CSCE commitments in the area of human rights, economics and security represent the cornerstone of the common European security space, and that they help ensure that countries and peoples in this space are not subjected further to the threat of military force or other undesirable consequences of aggressive nationalism and chauvinism.
They noted that the historical chances in the world, including the end of the confrontation between blocs of the cold war, create favourable conditions for the further strengthening of security and stability on the European continent and for deep reductions in nuclear forces. In this regard, the leaders discussed the implementation of the trilateral statement of 14 January 1994. They noted progress in the implementation of this statement.
The leaders also confirmed that an important contribution to the broader process of strengthening security and stability is also made by such agreements as the Treaty on Conventional Forces in Europe, the open skies treaty, and
confidence- and security-building measures“. (Emphasis Added)
original source: http://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N94/507/64/pdf/N9450764.pdf?OpenElement https://www.msz.gov.pl/en/p/wiedenobwe_at_s_en/news/memorandum_on_security_assurances_in_connection_with_ukraine_s_accession_to_the_treaty_on_the_npt?printMode=true (Original UN link is as dead as the treaty. Our Thanks to The Government of Poland, who cared enough to make it available.)
From a 2014 post: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2014/04/26/russias-broken-promises-ukraine-gave-up-nuclear-weapons-arsenal-in-exchange-for-respect-of-its-independence-sovereignty-and-borders/