Kremlin sources tell Bloomberg that Putin is preparing to escalate the war in Ukraine. A growing number of Russian officials believe that could eventually mean a tactical nuclear weapon.

Russian officials, who spoke to Bloomberg, believe the current situation may eventually lead Russia to use tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine. This escalation is being contemplated after Russia concluded that peace talks have reached an impasse. The Kremlin is now considering increased conventional missile strikes on Kyiv, including its center, and targeting infrastructure in other Ukrainian cities.

President Vladimir Putin, according to these sources, is not willing to cease the conflict under the pressure of economic sanctions or Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries and logistics networks. Moscow now regards Ukrainian strikes as actions by NATO members due to their support for Kyiv with weapons and intelligence. All avenues for peace negotiations have been exhausted, pushing the two sides back to their initial positions.

The Kremlin feels it has already made concessions throughout the war, each one weakening Russia's position further. With diplomacy seemingly out of reach, Moscow perceives few alternatives to advance its military objectives but to escalate further. Ukrainian strikes have led a growing number of Russian officials to believe that Putin might ultimately resort to using tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine.

However, Bloomberg maintains that there are no indications that Russia is preparing for such a move. In the past, Russia has frequently used nuclear threats to intimidate Ukraine's Western allies. Alexander Gabuev, director of the Berlin-based Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, told Bloomberg that the risk of Moscow employing tactical nuclear weapons remains extremely low.

Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, did not comment on the matter when contacted. Meduza, committed to transparency about its use of AI in journalism, notes that the story was written by a journalist and translated using an AI model that adheres to strict editorial standards.