HE The Ambassador of the Russian Federation,
Embassy of the Russian Federation,
6, 7 Kensington Palace Gardens,
London W8 4QP
28th February 2022
Dear Ambassador Kelin,
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament condemns Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and mourns the loss of Ukrainian and Russian lives lost so far in the conflict.
We are dismayed by President Putin’s public warning of “consequences greater than any you have faced in history” which is widely interpreted to be a reference to the use of nuclear weapons. If this was indeed the case, we condemn it in the strongest terms, and are also disturbed to hear more recent reports that Russian nuclear forces are being placed on high alert.
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament not only aims to rid the United Kingdom of nuclear weapons but is committed to their global abolition. We have been campaigning on this basis since 1958. As such, we are deeply concerned by any situation that increases the risk of use of nuclear weapons, be it by explicit intent or in error.
President Putin’s order to invade Ukraine and the statement referred to above has tilted the world towards potential disaster. These actions put all of us in peril: the risk of nuclear war looms.
The movement for peace and against war is a global movement. From London and Washington to Saint Petersburg and Moscow, those who oppose war and strive for peace take to the streets to make their voices heard. The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament stands squarely with all those in Russia and beyond who have protested against the invasion of Ukraine over the past days. We defend their right to do so and insist that such a right is respected.
We urge your government to turn its back on the disastrous course it has set upon. For the sake of Ukrainian children taking shelter from Russian missiles; for the sake of all those who will die if the situation escalates and for the sake of the millions of us who will perish if the heightened risk of nuclear war turns into a nuclear conflict; we urge your government to halt the attacks, withdraw the troops and withdraw the nuclear threats.
Yours sincerely,
Bruce Kent
Vice-President
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament