Christine Drews Sieger
A senior Russian politician has publicly demanded a tactical nuclear strike on Ukraine to force its immediate surrender.
A senior Russian politician has publicly demanded that Moscow drop tactical nuclear weapons on Ukraine to force an instant military surrender.
Alexei Zhuravlyov, who leads the Rodina party and serves as a State Duma deputy, insisted during a state television broadcast that leadership must deploy non-conventional arms without hesitation.
“There are discussions: can we use tactical nuclear weapons (against Ukraine—ed.), or can’t we? Listen, there shouldn’t even be such a debate! If necessary, we are obligated to use them… If we have to strike, we will strike. And that’s not up for discussion,” he said.
The lawmaker frequently shares his hawkish views alongside prominent talk show hosts Vladimir Solovyov and Olga Skabeeva.
Despite presenting himself modest, investigative reports from Verstka reveal that the politician has funneled substantial assets—such as high-end cars and real estate—to an undisclosed partner, according to RBC-Ukraine.
Growing nuclear anxiety
His aggressive demand comes as international observers track potential strategic shifts within the Kremlin.
Sources close to Russian leadership told Bloomberg that President Vladimir Putin might evaluate tactical nuclear strikes as a drastic measure to prevent a complete military defeat.
However, Bloomberg emphasized that Western intelligence agencies currently detect no physical preparations for an actual attack.
Major global allies, including China, also firmly oppose any deployment of nuclear weapons in the conflict, RBC-Ukraine reports.
Wider calls for escalation
Zhuravlyov is hardly the only political figure advocating extreme destruction against Ukrainian cities and populations.
State Duma Deputy Speaker Pyotr Tolstoy previously urged open bombardments of urban centers to shatter civilian morale.
General Andrei Gurulyov called on troops to strike relentlessly without hesitation, a sentiment echoed by Senator Andrei Kolesnik, who advocated for relentless bombardments to completely paralyze Ukrainian forces.
Diplomatic outreach has similarly faltered, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov failing to gain leverage during recent talks with the Vatican concerning Ukraine, according to RBC-Ukraine.
