Russia may now justify the use of nuclear weapons, a political expert has warned, following Ukraine’s recent drone attacks on strategic military targets.
Stephen Hall, a lecturer in Russian politics at the University of Bath, in England, stated that the Kremlin’s updated nuclear doctrine should alarm the West. “If nuclear missiles or systems capable of launching them are attacked, the Kremlin could see it as grounds for a nuclear response,” he said.
Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb, reportedly 18 months in the making, targeted Tu-95, Tu-160, and Tu-22 bombers—aircraft capable of carrying nuclear warheads and central to Russia’s bombing campaign.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, both sides have suffered staggering troop losses. According to the most recent data provided by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Ukraine's civilian casualties alone exceed 12,910, and the damage to the country's housing, transportation, and industrial infrastructure is significant.
As the world reflects on the past 39 months of hostilities, it's time to pause and assess some of the key events that have shaped the conflict since Russia invaded Ukraine.
Click through and review the war in Ukraine so far.