Authorities in Russia have reported drone attacks from Ukraine targeting regions near the border. This comes on the heels of President Vladimir Putin’s statements indicating a potential shift in Russia’s nuclear weapons criteria.
While Ukraine doesn’t always claim direct responsibility, it has ramped up drone assaults on Russian military sites aim to weaken Moscow’s military operations.
Recent events unfolded on Wednesday night, coinciding with Putin’s heightened nuclear rhetoric, where he suggested that Russia might consider employing nuclear arms in response to significant missile or drone attacks on its territory.
Andrei Klychkov, the governor of Russia’s Oryol region, stated that a Ukrainian drone was downed in his area; however, specific details were scant, according to the Astra Telegram channel.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed it intercepted seven drones over the Belgorod, Kursk, and Bryansk regions, which border Ukraine, although no damage was reported.
In retaliation, Russia has continued its drone strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure. Authorities in Kyiv reported that debris from an intercepted drone damaged a residential gas pipeline overnight on Wednesday.
More than 15 drones were detected near Kyiv, with local air defenses managing to down ten of them, according to the Kyiv City Military Administration. Kyiv’s air raid alarms rang for five hours, with explosions reported in various city districts and the surrounding Kyiv Oblast, as noted by The Kyiv Independent.
Putin’s remarks about Russia’s nuclear strategy have fueled conjecture regarding Moscow’s long-term intentions amid the ongoing conflict. He emphasized that Russia reserves the right to use nuclear weapons if faced with a critical threat, particularly if there’s a significant missile or drone strike across its borders.
During a Security Council meeting, Putin suggested that any aggression from a non-nuclear power in conjunction with a nuclear power should be viewed as a coordinated attack against Russia.
Despite Russia’s repeated nuclear threats since the conflict began, many experts deem the actual use of nuclear arms in battle unlikely. A timeline for these doctrine changes hasn’t been provided, but Andriy Yermak, head of Ukraine’s presidential office, accused Russia of “nuclear blackmail,” stating that its intimidation tactics are ineffective.