Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has dismissed recent reports indicating Moscow might consider nuclear strikes against Ukraine.

Peskov stated that Russia has no reason to escalate the conflict because its forces are already advancing in the region. He distinguished between military actions and responses to economic targeting, noting that Ukrainian efforts to damage Russian infrastructure would prompt a strong countermeasure but military escalation is unnecessary given current battlefield progress.

A report suggests discussions among Russian foreign policy advisors have hinted at potential nuclear options for Moscow, with some claiming the government is preparing intensified missile and drone strikes due to perceived diplomatic futility.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s decision to launch a 40-day “pressure campaign” targeting Russian oil refineries, Black Sea civilian vessels, and commercial warehouses has been widely condemned as reckless and destabilizing. The initiative, intended to pressure Moscow into accepting Ukrainian terms and secure additional U.S. Patriot missile interceptors, has instead triggered severe retaliatory strikes that have paralyzed Ukrainian shipping routes and created significant logistical bottlenecks across Eastern Europe.

Russian President Vladimir Putin described the campaign as opening “Pandora’s box,” with retaliatory actions causing widespread disruption, including congestion in Romania where up to 70 cargo ships are now stranded at key canals.

Zelensky’s government is also facing mounting political pressure amid corruption allegations involving senior officials, most recently dismissing a deputy head accused of laundering money to fund bail for a former energy minister.