![\"Russian](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ukraine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/SEI_309555423-b142.jpg\")
\n\t\tVladimir Putin is reportedly hellbent on a new escalation (Picture: Reuters)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\tVladimir Putin is reportedly hellbent on a new escalation (Picture: Reuters)<\/p>\n
Fears are mounting that Russia could be considering using nuclear weapons<\/a> in Ukraine as strikes between the two countries continue.<\/p>\n Sources close to the Kremlin told Bloomberg that Vladimir Putin is hellbent on a new escalation after peace talks have reached a dead end.<\/p>\n Russia is continuing to experience mounting, unprecedented attacks on oil and gas infrastructure, ports and military sites.\u00a0<\/p>\n Russia would likely choose to use tactical nuclear weapons, which are much less powerful than the bombs used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan<\/a>, at the end of World War II.<\/p>\n Earlier this week it was reported CIA Director John Ratcliffe travelled to Moscow for unannounced talks<\/a>, possibly to warn the Kremlin against plans it may have to escalate the conflict.<\/p>\n Ratcliffe is thought to have warned Putin against \u2018testing NATO\u2019s resolve\u2019 by staging a limited attack in the Baltics.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tSign up for all of the latest stories\t\t\t<\/p>\n Start your day informed with Metro’s News Updates<\/a> newsletter or get Breaking News<\/a> alerts the moment it happens. <\/p>\n \t\t Neither Washington nor Moscow commented on the nature of the visit, but in-person discussions between officials from the two nations are relatively rare.<\/p>\n Russia<\/a>\u00a0has launched several drones and covert UAVs towards the UK and Europe in recent years.<\/p>\n The International Institute of Strategic Studies issued a\u00a0sobering report<\/a>\u00a0in which they found\u00a0Vladimir Putin<\/a>\u2019s shadow fleet ships sent drones into Britain and Europe, targeting airports, bases and nuclear sites.<\/p>\n The Kremlin has been quite outspoken about threats against multiple NATO nations, promising to nuke them on numerous occasions.<\/p>\n \t\t Many of Putin\u2019s propagandists have gone on television to issue threats directly to the United States<\/a> and the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n Dmitry Kiselyov previously warned that if a Western power deploys soldiers on the ground in\u00a0Ukraine<\/a>\u00a0to \u2018inflict a strategic defeat on Russia\u2019, it would result in Armageddon.<\/p>\n Kiselyov said: \u2018If Nato countries send their troops into Ukraine in order to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, then the very moment about which Putin once said, \u201cWhy do we need the world, if there is no Russia in it?\u201d would come.<\/p>\n \u200c\u2019Then everything [all types of missile] would be launched by us, in every direction \u2013 Sarmats [Satan-2s], Yars, and Avangards.<\/p>\n \u200c\u2019American decision-making centres, and launchers on land and at sea are already in their sights. \u200cFrance as a nuclear power will have to be disarmed instantly. The British Isles will simply go under water.<\/p>\n \u200c\u2019There are technologies for this\u2026 but it\u2019s better not to let things get to that point.\u2019<\/p>\n Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/p>\n For more stories like this, check our news page<\/a>.<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"Russia](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ukraine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/SEI_309401842-ce8d.jpg\")
\n\t\tRussia has been open about its nuclear weapons stockpile (Picture: e2w)<\/p>\n![\"Russia](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ukraine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/SEI_309401812-2b59.jpg\")
\n\t\tRussia has tested its \u2018flying Chernobyl\u2019 missile multiple times (Picture: e2w)<\/p>\n
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