Nuclear Train Propaganda? Zelensky ‘digs in’ while Modi suggests no military settlement

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that his country is ready to contribute to peace efforts in the ongoing conflict with Russia that has raged for seven months.

"He expressed his firm conviction that there can be no military solution to the conflict and conveyed India's readiness to contribute to any peace efforts," the Indian prime minister’s office said in a statement after a telephone conversation between Modi and Zelenskiy.

India is articulating its position against ( I’m not reading an anti war stance- I’m getting an encourage a settlement sentiment based on this reporting) the Ukraine war more robustly to counter criticism that it is soft on Russia, but it still has neither held Moscow responsible for the invasion nor altered its policy on importing cheap Russian oil and coal.

The “Prime Minister emphasized the importance India attaches to the safety and security of nuclear installations, including in Ukraine,“

Zelensky Signs Decree Proclaiming Impossibility of Holding Talks with Putin

“Taking into account the results of the meeting at the headquarters of the Commander in Chief and after hearing (the reports of) members of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine decided to state the impossibility of holding negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin,” the statement, published on Zelensky’s website, read, Sputnik reported.

That’s unfortunate.

And finally “the nuclear train”

Complete with imagery. Originating on twitter. Take it for what it’s worth.

Reports of a “nuclear train” heading to Ukraine have spread online but these reports should be treated with caution, according to an expert.

Another train with military equipment going to the front by rail somewhere in central Russia.

At first glance, there is nothing special about it. But upon closer examination, you can see KamAZ-43269 “Shot” standing on the platforms with combat modules “Spoke”. pic.twitter.com/Lp5YQTteMi— Masno (@NovichokRossiya) October 2, 2022

This video was released online yesterday, and some reports have claimed it shows a convoy of the unit responsible for transporting Russia’s nuclear arsenal heading to Ukraine.

That’s quite a claim!

It is also not unlikely that the vehicles seen in the video could be part of a resupply to Russian units due to losses served over almost eight months of war in Ukraine.

McKenzie warned: “At this time of year we would expect to see 12th Directorate exercising and that is not unusual. NATO units do the same thing, in fact all countries that have a nuclear capability do that.”

“At no point have the ground forces on the Russian side been seen to be preparing to operate in a nuclear environment.

“There are very particular units that need to be brought forward in order to deploy nuclear capabilities and troops on the ground need to be equipped with hazmat suits. We’ve not seen any of that take place.”

I’m not buying the nuclear train claims.