Russia Is Considering a Nuclear Strike on Ukraine — Bloomberg
In Russia, there is increasing discussion about the possibility of further escalation of the war. According to Bloomberg, some Russian officials close to the Kremlin acknowledge that Vladimir Putin may, at some point, consider the use of tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine as a last resort.
At the same time, there are currently no signs that Russia is directly preparing for a nuclear strike. Experts consider such a scenario unlikely, although discussions in Moscow about possible scenarios for further escalation are intensifying amid the escalation of hostilities and the deadlock in negotiations.
According to sources close to the Kremlin who spoke with the publication, the intensification of hostilities is leading an increasing number of Russian officials to speculate that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin may, at some point, consider using tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine.
This is specifically a worst-case scenario. At present, there are no signs that Russia is preparing to use nuclear weapons. At the same time, according to Bloomberg, possible scenarios for further escalation are being discussed more actively in Moscow.
Russia is discussing a nuclear scenario
The risk of Russia using nuclear weapons has long been one of the main concerns of Western officials. Putin has repeatedly used nuclear rhetoric during the full-scale war in an attempt to influence the decisions of countries that support Ukraine.
Recently, according to Bloomberg, the position of those advocating a tougher line has strengthened in Russia. For some Russian officials, defeat in the war may be a more unacceptable scenario than its continuation.
At the same time, tactical nuclear weapons differ from strategic ones in that they have a shorter range and lower yield. They are intended for use on the battlefield, but the consequences of an explosion and radioactive contamination could be far-reaching.
Why a nuclear strike is currently considered unlikely
Despite these fears, experts see no signs that Russia is directly preparing for such a move.
Fiona Hill, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a former national security adviser to three U.S. presidents, believes that Putin continues to test how far he can go in his confrontation with the West.
According to her, this is precisely why coordinated action by Ukraine’s allies and sustained diplomatic pressure remain crucial.
At the same time, Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia-Eurasia Center, assesses the risk of Russia using tactical nuclear weapons as extremely low.
In his view, on today’s dispersed battlefield, such weapons have limited military effectiveness, while the political cost of breaking the nuclear taboo would be extremely high.
“As long as Moscow has the means to escalate the conflict using conventional weapons—in particular, by intensifying missile strikes—it has little incentive to cross the nuclear threshold,” Gabuev noted.
This was reported by Bloomberg.
The occupiers have intensified their attacks in the Kupiansk direction.
As a reminder, Russia attacked warehouses and energy infrastructure in the Odesa region.
Earlier, drones struck Ozon logistics centers in two regions of Russia at once.
Drones also struck Krasnodar and caused a fire at a warehouse.
Earlier, warehouses caught fire in Akulovo, near Moscow.
