Military commentator and retired colonel Viktor Baranets said Russia currently has no reason to use nuclear weapons.
According to him, Russian forces are achieving their objectives with conventional weapons, while public calls for nuclear strikes only deepen tensions with the West, which he believes is already preparing for a possible confrontation with Russia.
Baranets argued that nuclear weapons are unnecessary in the conflict in Ukraine because conventional systems are sufficient for the tasks being carried out. He also warned that calls for nuclear use only fuel public anxiety and further harden Western attitudes toward Moscow.
In his view, any move toward nuclear use could trigger uncontrolled escalation with unpredictable consequences. He suggested that Western countries might respond by providing Ukraine with a nuclear weapon or that the United States could enter the conflict directly. Baranets said such a scenario could lead to a third world war, something Moscow has no interest in provoking.
He also stressed that the use of nuclear weapons is regulated by Russia’s military doctrine and depends on specific conditions. According to Baranets, such a decision cannot be made arbitrarily.
Earlier, State Duma Defense Committee First Deputy Chairman Alexei Zhuravlev said Russia should use tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine if such a need arises. He argued that such a step would send a strong signal to Kiev and its European partners.