“We shouldn’t take this especially seriously,” he explained.
“This is not meant for the Ukrainian audience. No groundbreaking developments have been witnessed, demonstrated, or achieved.”
On Oct. 25, the Kremlin announced that dictator Vladimir Putin had conducted a training exercise for nuclear deterrence forces, rehearsing “tasks of a mass nuclear strike in response to an enemy’s nuclear attack.”
According to Russian sources, an intercontinental Yars missile was launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome to a testing range in Kamchatka, and from the waters of the Barents Sea, the nuclear-powered submarine Tula launched a Sineva missile.
Yusov asserted that this display is propaganda designed for the domestic audience, showcasing the image of a leader who is fully in control and personally overseeing critical operations, alongside Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and the entire team.
He added that the Kremlin’s actions are an illustration for proponents of the rhetoric that “we don’t need to escalate the situation,” which aims to pacify Russia.
“This demonstrates our point,” he added.
“On a global scale, nothing has changed. Nuclear blackmail is no longer the trump card up Putin’s sleeve, but the attempts will persist.”
On Oct. 17, Russia declared its withdrawal of its ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, and accused the United States of “irresponsible behavior toward global security,” though didn’t comment on Russia’s own escalatory rhetoric and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian intelligence reports suggest that Russia intensified its checks and preparations of nuclear weapons starting in the summer of 2023, but believes it is premature to discuss a real threat of their use.