Posted on 05/06/2024 2:35:56 AM PDT by McGruff
Russia plans to hold drills simulating the use of tactical nuclear weapons, the Defense Ministry announced Monday, days after the Kremlin reacted angrily to comments by senior Western officials about the war in Ukraine.
The drills are in response to “provocative statements and threats of certain Western officials regarding the Russian Federation,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement.
It was the first time that Russia has publicly announced drills involving tactical nuclear weapons, though its strategic nuclear forces regularly hold exercises. Tactical nuclear weapons have a lower yield compared to massive warheads that arm intercontinental ballistic missiles intended to obliterate entire cities.
The announcement appeared to be a warning to Ukraine’s Western allies about becoming more deeply involved in the more than two-year war. Some of Ukraine’s Western partners have previously expressed concern about stoking the war amid fears it could spill beyond Ukraine and into a conflict between NATO and Russia.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
It’s a bluff.
What they are definitely planning to do is a covert program of major sabotage in Europe. Like when they blew up an ammo dump in Czechia a couple of years ago. The big fire in Germany last week may be a start.
Russia’s Kremlin has labeled recent statements by officials about the war in Ukraine as “dangerous.”
French President Emmanuel Macron said he doesn’t exclude sending troops to Ukraine.
U.K. Foreign Secretary David Cameron said during a visit to Kyiv the same day that Ukraine will be able to use British long-range weapons to strike targets inside Russia.
“It’s a bluff.” Maybe. But they are talking drills with tactical nukes. They could test a few on their own territory first. Tacticals can be smaller than what was dropped on Japan and won’t trigger WWIII but the live video will probably scare the crap out of a lot of people. Let’s push them and see what they do.
No kidding it’s a bluff.
However is Z-man stupid enough to do something deadly in Moscow using drones during the Victory Day Celebrations??? That would be a good way to get Kiev erased in a nuclear fireball.
I’m more concerned with what our feckless leaders will do.
A lot more talk of sending western troops to help the Ukrainians. So much for “good investment” of only Ukrainians fighting. And We continue the slow march to all out war with Russia.
Dear deep state, pick up the freakin phone.
The reason why it is a bluff is because, as that song by Sting went, ‘the Russians love their children too.’ Use of tactical nukes in Ukraine may trigger UNFORESEEN actions by NATO that Russia may not necessarily want to happen.
For example, the entry of NATO proper to Ukraine. Which would result in direct NATO vs Russia war. Which would result in the conventional defeat of Russia. Which would mean that Russia would have to accept conventional defeat, or trigger is anti-NATO strategy in the event of conventional defeat - use of atomics. And thus, even a limited use of that brings ever greater threat of escalation, the end of which would be no winners.
The same calculus exists in the side of NATO, but the likes of France (which has lost a lot of ground in Francophone Africa due to the Russians) and the UK (which is trying to remain relevant) don’t care much and are pushing. Germany is obviously more cautious, as is - believe it or not - the US (as much as Biden and his ilk are rolling crazy dice, some of the idiosyncrasies like the cap on oil prices that is not capped, free flow of Russian fertilizers, drip drip of aid to Ukraine, indicate they are trying to punish Russia as much as they can without triggering global nuclear Gehenna. It may not work out that way.)
As for Russia - huge miscalculation on their side. What they thought would be a repeat of Crimea became a huge smear on their credibility. Sure, they would have defeated Ukraine if it did not get help, and even with help Russia enjoys certain demographic and other advantages over Ukraine that will likely result in a slow grinding ‘victory’ of sorts, but it has cost Russia big time. Huge miscalculation, and I doubt they are willing to make more/greater mathematical fails.
So, a bluff. Russia’s hope is that Germany makes noise, that Poland thinks twice, that British voters wonder what their government is doing, and that Hawks in DC take a short pause.
But they will not use tactical nukes!
The ONLY time they would do that is if Ukraine was in the verge of overwhelming the Russian army, was pushing back hard in the Donbas, and the fall of Crimea was inevitable.
THEN, Russia would definitely use nukes. It is in their clearly available nuclear use doctrine …
… but the US will never allow Ukraine to get that close to winning!
Unless people here really think the West (not the Baltic countries, the ‘proper’ West) actually want Ukraine to win!?!?
:)
Bluff is not the word, terrorist BLACKMAIL is.
Small yield tac nukes are the dirtiest
What is alarming is that we have divested of tactical nukes, ie we have no counter to them but full blown strategic nukes.
Our divesting in tactical nukes make WWIIi much more likely, and one laying on our laps, which is what politically the Soviets always wanted.
Russia is a failed state hanging on by the threat of nuclear retaliation.
You consider tit for tat.
The instantaneous end of St Petersburgh and Moscow is the actual tat
Let’s just give the Z-dood a few off the shelf nukes and see what happens... would the raging queen exercise restraint?
Well, it’s Monday. I guess it’s time for some small in the shorts Russian drunkard to start yammering about nuclear war.
Sure, they might do it some day. But its more likely they will get vodka smelling vomit on their shoes.
Not before they launch their ICBMs at many US cities.
Can you imagine the missiles are launched from Russia and will be her in 15 minutes and Mr. Potatohead has the nuclear codes in his pocket and then has to poke them into the Nuclear Football?
We are doomed...............
European Nigeria with nukes.
Proper thinking!
It’s rare on these threads where insults and propaganda from both sides are used.
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