Russian security chief Dmitry Medvedev stated on Friday that Russia was not bluffing about the potential use of tactical nuclear weapons following confirmation from the US and Germany that Ukraine could utilize their weapons to strike inside Russian territory. In a Telegram post, Medvedev remarked that the conflict with the West was unfolding according to a worst-case scenario and warned that an escalation to the “last stage” could not be ruled out. His warning followed US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s announcement that President Joe Biden had authorized Ukraine to use American-supplied weapons against targets within Russia that were attacking Kharkiv.
Speaking at a news conference in Prague after a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting, Blinken explained that Biden’s decision marked a policy shift, as the President had previously prohibited Ukraine from using US weaponry for strikes inside Russia. Blinken did not specify if the authorization would extend to targets deeper within Russia.
