According to Russia’s foreign ministry, in response to the shipment of American fighter planes and missiles to Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin had ordered the Russian general staff to train with tactical nuclear devices, which are smaller and more maneuverable than strategic nuclear bombs.
According to a military analyst, Putin’s order was meant to demonstrate the existence of nuclear weapons, not that he intends to use them. The United States State Department has said that they do not see any need to modify our own nuclear stance.
Moscow has maintained a state of nuclear readiness since February 2022, when Putin began his invasion of Ukraine. Since then, Russia’s nuclear threat has been muddled, and its propagandists have threatened Western cities many times.
In response to the publicly stated backing from the West for Ukraine’s use of more powerful weapons, the Russian foreign ministry announced nuclear drills involving missile units from the Southern Military District (SMD) as well as Russian aviation and naval forces.
Strikes against Russian infrastructure carried out by Ukraine were included in the statement, as were reports of the presence of long-range missile systems from the UK, France, and the US in Ukraine.
Because F-16 fighter jets are dual-equipped and can carry both conventional and nuclear missiles, Russia has said that it would see their entry into Ukraine as a provocation.
Soon, Ukraine will get the first F-16s that NATO nations have pledged. The Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, and Denmark have promised several dozen F-16s. Pilots from Ukraine have been undergoing training to handle the aircraft.
According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the Kremlin is using hybrid warfare methods, including the current nuclear threat, to alter an enemy’s conduct as part of its control effort.
The ISW also noted that Moscow is trying to dissuade Western decision-makers from enabling Ukrainian troops to utilize Western-provided technology to strike lawful Russian military targets by escalating the nuclear threat.
The US Department of State described Russia’s statements about this dispute as reckless. Neither the United States nor Russia has seen any cause to change its nuclear stance or signs that Russia is getting ready to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
