Will Russia use nuclear weapons in response to Ukraine’s long-range strikes?

Western media are trying to predict whether Moscow will use nuclear weapons in response to long-range strikes by Ukrainian forces using Western munitions on Russian territory.

The British publication *The Times* published an article on this topic.

“Perhaps the most difficult question for Western governments is trying to guess what Putin has in mind. The rhetoric around nuclear weapons has become so commonplace in Russia in recent years that it may potentially lower the psychological threshold for its use,” the newspaper suggests.

Given the prospect of an “endless conflict” in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin may conclude that only a powerful strike with nuclear weapons can change this situation. Additionally, “the use of nuclear weapons could be a way to challenge the West.”

“Since you continue to arm Kyiv with increasingly advanced weapons to damage Russian forces, I had no other choice,” journalists speculate as the likely logic of Putin.

Furthermore, the Russian president might believe that using nuclear weapons in Ukraine would not lead to a retaliatory strike from the West, as Kyiv is not a member of NATO.

The publication recalls earlier leaks indicating that Russia, even before 2014, had unofficially “lowered the threshold” for using tactical nuclear weapons (which could be used against Ukraine if such a decision is made).

Among the factors that might cause hesitation for the Kremlin is the likely negative reaction from China to the use of nuclear weapons, which could put the partnership between Moscow and Beijing “at serious risk, if not entirely ruin it.”

Additionally, the U.S. has already stated that the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine would have “catastrophic consequences” for Russia. Although these consequences have not been specified, Putin must consider the possible scenario of a war with NATO.

Another reason why a decision on a nuclear strike may be postponed is the uncertainty about what it would achieve from a purely military perspective in Ukraine.

Among the alternative “nuclear” responses from Russia could be the deployment of nuclear weapons in orbit, threatening American military satellites and opening up a “battle for space.”