Ukraine has issued a stark warning that Vladimir Putin could resort to tactical nuclear weapons if faced with battlefield defeat, as Kyiv moves to strengthen its own preparedness for weapons of mass destruction.
Roman Kostenko, a senior Ukrainian military commander, said there was a credible risk that Moscow would escalate to nuclear use should it perceive the war turning decisively against it.
Speaking to a Ukrainian broadcaster, he warned that Russia could deploy tactical nuclear weapons with yields ranging from several to dozens of kilotons, targeting military infrastructure, troop concentrations and potentially urban centres.
“We must be ready,” he said, arguing that the threat environment had deteriorated to the point where nuclear preparedness could no longer be treated as a secondary concern.
Kostenko revealed he had proposed new legislation to separate biological, chemical and nuclear security strategies within Ukraine’s national security framework, in a bid to improve readiness and response.
The warning comes amid a widening phase of the conflict, with Volodymyr Zelenskyy announcing what he described as “a new stage” in Ukraine’s use of long-range capabilities to degrade Russia’s war effort.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) said it had struck a key oil pumping and distribution facility operated by Transneft in the Russian city of Perm, a strategically important node in the country’s energy infrastructure. Early reports suggested large-scale fires had broken out across storage tanks at the site.
The strike appears to mark an intensification of Ukraine’s campaign to target critical logistics and supply networks deep inside Russian territory.
Moscow reacted angrily, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov condemning the attacks as “terrorist”.
In a further sign of strain, Russia’s Defence Ministry confirmed that military cadets and a column of equipment would be absent from this year’s Victory Day parade, citing the “current operational situation”.
The annual event, held to commemorate the Soviet Union’s role in the defeat of Nazi Germany, has long served as a projection of Russian military strength. Any visible scaling back is likely to be interpreted as a reflection of the pressures imposed by the war in Ukraine.
Western officials have repeatedly warned that while the probability of nuclear use remains low, it cannot be dismissed entirely, particularly in scenarios where the Kremlin perceives an existential threat.
For Kyiv, the message is clear: as the war enters a more volatile phase, the boundaries of escalation are becoming increasingly uncertain.
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