The Kremlin has once again reached for its favorite weapon of intimidation: nuclear blackmail. This time, Russian officials have claimed, without a shred of evidence, that the United Kingdom, supported by France, is allegedly supplying Ukraine with nuclear weapons and "dirty bombs." Furthermore, Moscow has openly hinted that such actions could provide grounds for a tactical nuclear strike on both London and Ukrainian territory.
As reported by Hvylya, this analysis comes from British military expert and chemical weapons specialist Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, writing for The Telegraph.
He expressed confidence that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin does not believe a single word of his own rhetoric. In his view, these accusations are not an attempt to deflect a real threat, but a cold-bloodedly constructed instrument of pressure on Ukraine's allies. The goal is starkly simple: to sow fear in European capitals, shatter Western unity, and force Kyiv's partners to curtail military and financial aid.
An Army Bleeding Out While the Kremlin Screams About Nukes
To understand why Moscow is playing the nuclear card again right now, one only needs to look at the reality on the front lines. Russian military losses have long reached scales the Kremlin itself would deem catastrophic had they been inflicted on an adversary. According to available data, Russia is forced to throw approximately 35,000 new soldiers into the meat grinder every month just to maintain the current tempo of hostilities and hold occupied positions. Neither generous financial payouts, nor hidden creeping mobilization, nor recruitment drives are sufficient to fully replace these losses.
On the battlefield, Russian forces are, at best, barely clinging to their captured lines. There is no victorious offensive—only an exhausting defense of territory at the cost of immense numbers of lives. The Kremlin understands perfectly well that if the situation does not change, the front line will begin to shift eastward. Then, they will have to explain to their own population how a "three-day special military operation" turned into a five-year catastrophe.
The Empire is Cracking at the Seams
Domestically, the picture is no less alarming for Putin. Families of killed and wounded soldiers are speaking out louder and more boldly, despite repression and pressure from security services. Inflation is systematically eroding citizens' real incomes, living standards are falling, and the unspoken social contract between the authorities and society—"you stay out of politics, we ensure stability"—is rapidly crumbling. Resistance to general mobilization is growing, and more Russians are beginning to realize the uncomfortable truth: this war is being waged not for Russia's security, but for Vladimir Putin's personal ambitions.
The grandiose project to recreate the Soviet empire is stalling and falling apart—largely thanks to Ukrainian military ingenuity: strike drones, high-precision fire systems, and coordinated intelligence cooperation with Western partners.
False Flag: The Most Dangerous Part of the Script
London and Paris predictably rejected the Russian accusations as absurd. However, de Bretton-Gordon warns that laughing off these statements is a dangerous mistake. Drawing on over a decade of experience documenting chemical weapons use in Syria, the expert recalls that such "preemptive accusations" traditionally precede false flag provocations.
The scheme is well-rehearsed: the Assad regime and its Russian handlers publicly accused the opposition of preparing chemical attacks—only to then drop sarin and chlorine on civilians themselves. They subsequently presented their own crimes as "retaliatory measures." De Bretton-Gordon considers this specific logic to be the most dangerous aspect regarding Ukraine right now.
One fact deserves special attention: back in 2022, the Russian military removed spent nuclear fuel from the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant—material ideally suited for creating a so-called "dirty bomb." Theoretically, Russia could use this fuel or other radioactive materials to stage a "dirty bomb" strike on its own positions in Ukraine or even within Russian territory. They could then declare this an attack by Kyiv and the West—and use it as justification for a tactical nuclear response against Britain and Ukraine.
Why France is Not on the Target List
A telling detail explains much: France does not figure in the Kremlin's threats even once. This is no accident. Paris possesses its own tactical nuclear potential, and Moscow is well aware that a strike on France would automatically trigger a symmetrical response. The calculation with the UK is different: London possesses only strategic nuclear weapons, and Kremlin strategists appear to be betting that Britain would not dare use them in the event of a "limited" Russian strike.
The Nuclear Bluff is Losing Steam
Nevertheless, the Kremlin's nuclear rhetoric is increasingly losing its former potency. Threats repeated time and again are gradually losing their ability to shock; European governments have learned to distinguish psychological pressure from a real threat of weapons use. Mutually assured destruction—the principle underpinning the nuclear peace since the Cold War—has not vanished and is perfectly understood in Moscow. No matter how ideologically obsessed Putin may be, he cannot rebuild an empire from radioactive ash. A nuclear strike would not be a victory, but a collapse far greater than any unfavorable peace on Ukraine's terms.
What Europe Must Do Right Now
The expert's conclusion is unequivocal: the current flare-up of nuclear rhetoric is not a demonstration of strength, but a cry of despair from a regime rapidly losing men, equipment, and moral authority. And now is precisely the time not to back down. The only language the Kremlin truly understands and respects is the language of strength: political, economic, and military.
If Europe wants a just and lasting peace for the Ukrainian people, it must act decisively and unitedly. Moreover, it seems it must do so without looking back at Washington, as the current American administration is focused on entirely different priorities.
Earlier, Zelensky announced negotiations with the Trump team in Abu Dhabi.