Putin giving 'detailed' thought to using nukes in Ukraine as fears of WW3 explode

⚠️ Putin Reportedly Weighing Tactical Nuclear Weapons Amid Russia’s Battlefield Stalemate in Ukraine

As the war in Ukraine grinds into its third year, Russia’s inability to secure decisive military victories is reportedly forcing Vladimir Putin to consider a dangerous escalation: the use of tactical nuclear weapons.

According to Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former British Army colonel and expert in weapons of mass destruction, the Russian president is now giving “detailed consideration” to deploying low-yield nuclear arms as his conventional forces continue to bleed on the battlefield for minimal gains.

In a recent op-ed for The Telegraph, de Bretton-Gordon warned that Moscow’s repeated nuclear threats — often dismissed as bluster — may now reflect a real internal debate within the Kremlin about taking the unthinkable step.

“The fact that Putin and his gangsters have threatened nuclear attack continuously since the wider war in Ukraine began suggests they are thinking about it in detail,” he wrote.

“They may believe they can finish off Ukraine quickly with tactical nukes — and that the West wouldn’t respond.”

🧨 Russia’s Military Gains Are Minimal — At High Cost

Despite its overwhelming advantage in manpower, artillery, and air power, the Russian military has failed to make meaningful progress across most of the front. A recent report by the U.S. Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) paints a grim picture for Moscow’s war planners:

• Since January 2024, Russian troops have seized only about 5,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory — less than 1% of the country.
• In key combat zones like Kharkiv, Russian forces are advancing just 50 meters per day — a slower pace than British and French troops achieved during World War I’s Battle of the Somme, where the average daily advance was around 80 meters.

This brutal attrition warfare has come at staggering human and material cost. Thousands of Russian soldiers have been lost for inches of territory. The lack of breakthroughs is forcing Moscow to consider increasingly drastic — and reckless — measures to break the deadlock.

☢️ Could Putin Actually Use Tactical Nukes?

Tactical nuclear weapons are designed for use on the battlefield, not for large-scale strategic strikes. But any use of nuclear arms — even in a limited form — would mark the first deployment of such weapons in war since Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

De Bretton-Gordon warned that Putin may be tempted to deploy these arms in hopes of shattering Ukraine’s defenses and demoralizing the West into retreat. He also suggested that Donald Trump’s past ambivalence toward NATO and European security may have emboldened this line of thinking within the Kremlin.

“As three days have become three years plus, Putin may believe he can get away with it,” he wrote. “But he may be underestimating the consequences.”

🛡️ UK-France Nuclear Alliance May Serve as Deterrent

A potential counterweight to Putin’s calculus may lie in a new nuclear pact signed last week between the UK and France. The agreement, described as a coordinated defense alignment, includes provisions for joint nuclear deterrence and signals that a Russian nuclear strike in Ukraine could trigger retaliation — particularly by France.

While this doesn’t equate to automatic war, it complicates Putin’s risk equation: any tactical exchange could escalate uncontrollably, potentially leading to direct confrontation with NATO. It could also wipe out the very military infrastructure he depends on to retain power.

“A tactical exchange wouldn’t be contained,” de Bretton-Gordon emphasized. “It would destroy the military Putin needs to stay in power.”

🇺🇸 U.S. Leadership Under Pressure

The situation places renewed pressure on the United States and President Donald Trump, who recently stated that the U.S. is prepared to issue a major statement regarding Russia. Trump, who once downplayed NATO’s importance and questioned U.S. commitments to European allies, has now shown signs of stiffening his stance.

“If Trump has finally found his backbone — and doesn’t lose it — we might avoid a broader war in Europe,” de Bretton-Gordon concluded.

The former officer also praised UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron for recognizing a critical geopolitical truth: Putin only respects strength and ruthlessly exploits weakness.

⚖️ The Stakes Couldn’t Be Higher

While much of the global focus remains on battlefield updates and diplomatic maneuvering, the looming threat of nuclear escalation remains the gravest risk of all. Whether or not Putin will take that gamble may depend on whether the West — and particularly Trump — continues to show unified resolve.