It is instructive to look at how the two non-combative Rox warriors —Russia and America— came to this flashpoint. Russia had been waving its nuclear threat right from when Putin launched his invasion into Ukraine. While in the initial days, President Joe Biden had played a more cautious role, in his closing days he has taken a huge gamble by allowing Ukraine to use American long range missiles to make deep strikes.

Joe Biden was prompted to allow the decisive use of American fire power immediately after it was reported that Russia is even deploying North Korean combatants on the battlefield. Immediately after Biden gave permission to use American weapons for deep strikes into Russia, Putin came forwards with his new nuke doctrine.

This raises the spectre of a nuclear war in Europe and annihilation of large population, whether real or imagined. The Ukraine war can be said to have been escalated altogether to a new height now that both sides are closer to a serious step up in hostilities.

On ground, Ukraine is already said to have used the American long range missiles reaching some of the interior areas of Russia. The Ukrainians are claiming successful strikes on Russian military installations and ammunition depots. On their part, the Russians have announced that out of six long range missiles fired by Ukraine, five have been intercepted by the Russian air defence system and destroyed, without ever reaching their targets.

Some Russian spokespersons have briefed that the Russian military have analysed the missiles movements and have concluded that these weapons could not have navigated and reached the Russian interiors without being actively helped and guided by other military powers. These missiles could be used only on the basis of precise intelligence and guiding systems.

Russia of course is hard put to find any major support for its mended nuclear doctrine let alone its actual use. The Chinese have repeatedly come down heavily against Russia resorting to any use of nuclear weapons against a non-nuclear state. Despite being friends “without any limits”, Chinese president Xi Jinping, has refused to lend any support to Russian use of or even threat of use of nuclear weapons.

As if to build a coalition of supporters, the Russians are trying to spread their nets wide. Russians have today unilaterally announced the plan of a Russian presidential visit to India. There has been no confirmation of Vladimir Putin’s visit to India from the foreign ministry so far.

It may be mentioned that Vladimir Putin could not attend any international summit or even undertake any foreign trip excepting a few to China as there is a carte blanche arrest warrant against him from the International Criminal Court. He could not travel to attend the G20 Summit in Delhi either as the moment he had stepped on Indian soil, the authorities would have been duty bound to arrest him as India is a signatory to ICC..

It is now unclear how Putin can visit India and avoid arrest, without India breaking an International obligation.

The sudden step up in Russian bellicosity was promoted by the outgoing US president, Joe Biden’s sudden decision to allow Ukraine to use American supplied weapons to strike on Russian soil. In fact, Biden’s move might have created a flashpoint for the incoming president, Donald Trump, as well.

The new doctrine has been released and aimed particularly for the American and European allies of Ukraine. The nuclear threat is nothing new. He has been sending this ever since he invaded Ukraine in February 2022. At that time, Putin had been expecting to wrap up his invasion of Ukraine in matter of weeks and convincingly.

Much to his dismay, Putin met with failure to make any headway and long Russian convoys of armoured vehicles and soldiers were decimated by pointed attacks by Ukrainian military. It is only recently that the Russian military has made some progress but the war continuing for the last 1002 days so far has been destructive both for Ukraine and Russia..

The resounding defence of Ukraine would have not been possible without massive financial as well as military aid from the Americans and to an extent from the coalition of European Union states. (IPA Service)