At the battle of Stirling Bridge, 11 September 1297, the movie Braveheart has William Wallace provoking the English to battle, saying "Here are Scotland's terms. Lower your flags, and march straight back to England, stopping at every home to beg forgiveness for 100 years of theft, rape, and murder. Do that and your men shall live. Do it not, and every one of you will die today. ... Before we let you leave, your commander must cross that field, present himself before this army, put his head between his legs, and kiss his own ass."
Putin's Nuclear Crisis - September 2025
On 01 October 2025 Ukraine accused Russia of shelling that damaged the power supply to the colossal protective “sarcophagus” over the Chornobyl station’s Reactor Four that exploded in 1986. Ukraine’s leader, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said Russian shelling had cut the Moscow-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant off from the electricity network. Bellona, a Norway-based nuclear monitor, said on October 2 that a “greater danger lies in Moscow’s potential use of the crisis to justify reconnecting the plant to its own grid – portraying itself as the saviour preventing a nuclear disaster”. Should Moscow do that, the step would only “worsen [the] strategic situation, give Moscow additional leverage, and bring a potential restart closer – a move that, amid ongoing fighting, would itself sharply increase the risk of a nuclear accident,” it said.
Greenpeace said that its detailed analysis of high-resolution satellite images taken after what Putin alleged were Ukrainian strikes showed that he was bluffing. “There is no evidence of any military strikes in the area surrounding the pylons and network of power lines in this part of Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant,” the international environmentalist group said on October 1. The images showed that the power towers remained in position and there were no craters left by explosions around the lines, it said. Greenpeace concluded that the blackout at the plant is “a deliberate act of sabotage by Russia” whose aim is to “permanently disconnect the plant from the Ukraine grid and connect the nuclear plant to the grid occupied by Russia.
During the October 2 broadcast of the Full Contact radio show, Vladimir Solovyov urged the Russian leadership to completely obliterate all of Ukraine’s infrastructure with the aim of returning it to the Stone Age. He argued that during a war, all infrastructure is considered military. A man of limited self-awareness, Solovyov seemingly failed to realize that the same principle could be applied to Russia. Even so, he was badly shaken by the idea of Tomahawks flying towards Moscow. He wondered out loud: “Is this it? Did the period of candy and chocolates with Trump come to an end? Will we now get the whip? Will Daddy now start beating Russia with golf clubs?”
On October 2, Russian President Vladimir Putin alleged that Ukrainian attacks had destroyed a high-voltage transmission line between the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine and Kyiv-controlled areas. “On the [Ukrainian] side, people should understand that if they play so dangerously, they have an operating nuclear power station on their side,” Putin told the forum in St Petersburg. “The radioactivity is so powerful that one can’t get the fuel out, [or] transport or handle in other ways until it burns out in an operating reactor. It will take years,” according to a former Zaporizhzhia plant engineer who fled to Kyiv.
US President Donald Trump said on 05 October 2025 that Russia's initiative to extend compliance with nuclear arsenal limits under the New START Treaty by a year sounds like a good idea. "Sounds like a good idea to me," Trump said when asked about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to extend the nuclear arms treaty.
Military analyst and retired colonel Mikhail Khodarenok suggested 07 October 2025 that delivering Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv could give Moscow free rein. He stated that if US President Donald Trump approves such a transfer, Russia could respond in two ways. First, a massive strike on Kyiv’s government quarter, where the Ukrainian military-political leadership resides. As a second option, Khodarenok mentioned putting strategic nuclear forces on the highest alert and conducting demonstration strikes. He clarified that these would involve single missile launches with nuclear warheads targeting oceans or uninhabited areas. First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs Vladimir Dzhabarov warned that potential Tomahawk deliveries could affect more than just Ukraine.
Russian state TV show “The Evening With Vladimir Solovyov,” featuring host Vladimir Solovyov on 08 October 2025, "If someone thinks that during the war Europeans try to observe the established norms, then pay attention, and after World War II, that territory Germany, which was processed by the British and Americans, who are not Europeans, but everything was demolished. The goal was to demolish everything. Whatever they can, they will still give.
"They directly declare that we are their enemy, and we must be destroyed, and no one will appreciate our nobility. Yes, they will enjoy it if in as a result of the impact on workers Russian nuclear power plants such a nuclear contamination will rise, that half of Russia will disappear from the face of the earth. They will applaud it and say, that's finally good. Do you have any doubts? Read their press.
"So let's treat the threat as not random, non-verbal. There was never a time when they did anything weapons were not mentioned so that they could be used later sooner or later it didn't come up. That's why let's take this very seriously, calmly. At the same time, we must understand that we can destroy all of Ukraine. Europe doesn't care. For Europe it doesn't matter as a result retaliatory strike against us, what will happen to Ukraine. It doesn't matter. Absolutely no role. Ukraine on a magazine. Ukrainian people. Phew. Stop it. Love for the Ukrainian people now It is very visible in Europe. They hate it. If they could, they would have sent everyone to the front. They hate it. Do you think that Russians are for them?
"Uttermensch, and Ukrainians don't? Come on, stop. Forced to endure, deeply convinced that this was once will become a thing of the past. We are not like that, of course. Only in war it is not those who win or not like that, and furious. Furious, breaking the will to resist. So I repeat once again, here we are finally they started to take it to hell: "There will be no life in Kharkov or in Poltava, neither in Nikolaev, nor in Odessa. There will be no these cities and there will be no Kyiv."
"If civilians don't realize, that they were chosen as expendable material and they won't overthrow their Nazi regime, no forces. At least leave from those cities, understand that you use like a human shield. No strength to leave. Sorry, I'll remind you of fate Sodom and Gomorrah. There's probably one there too. there were residents, who simply couldn't leave, were simply forced to live. like everyone else. That's why I read tomahawks. Great.
"In Ukraine there are tomahawks that can Americans guide. Excellent. Venezuela has it all right. Democratic People's Republic of Korea republic increasingly. Iran everything. Enable Orezhnik. All. That's it. Not only that, but also immediately strike at all places, where do they plan to base it, from where They are going to write off Poland. No, no, of course not the whole country. Those points where Ukrainian soldiers are trained, weapons are being stockpiled for Ukraine, which used as entry points where weapons are produced and supplied to Ukraine. All these places should burn and explode. Where are the military personnel located? NATO, hosting directly participation in planning the operation against our country to be written off. Moreover warn honestly,
That's it, the jokes are over. This is war. This is war, what Dmitry Sergeevich Peskov said and more than once already. Everything is very, very serious."
The Russian Federation's Permanent Representative to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons ( OPCW ), Vladimir Tarabrin, stated 09 October 2025 that Kiev continues to use chemical weapons and that a network of laboratories for their production exists in Ukraine. "The situation surrounding the use of chemical weapons in Ukraine is seriously concerning. The Russian side continues to document not only instances of Ukrainian nationalists using toxic chemicals and chemical warfare agents, but also the existence of an extensive network of laboratories throughout Ukraine for their mass production," the Permanent Representative stated. Russia expressed its readiness to transfer control samples and other materials related to the use of chemical warfare agents by Ukraine to OPCW experts.
The New York Times reported 15 October 2025 that Trump believed Russian leader Vladimir Putin would agree to sit down at the negotiating table solely because of the threat of providing Tomahawks to Ukraine. This step likely reflects the US President's frustration with his Russian counterpart, who refuses to stop the war. Liana Fix, a fellow for Europe at the Council on Foreign Relations, says that the decision to transfer Tomahawks will depend on whether Putin can convince Trump that such a move could "lead to nuclear war." At the same time, she suggests that supplying the missiles to Kyiv would signal a "coordinated pressure campaign" from Europe aimed at strengthening support for Ukraine, potentially forcing Russia to halt the war.
Vladimir Solovyov started tthe morning on 15 October 2025 stating : "Military science is not about how to save civilians but about how to solve the Tasks. And, of course, we can just fire a tornado, using different types of and different names, which are synonymous, terrible weapons that are not close Ukraine to ensure further passage of our ground forces On the burned Earth. And our losses will be small.
"The land will not be very suitable for subsequent habitat, But you can move very quickly. Can Should we take Kyiv in 3 days? Of course. Only Kiev will wipe out the face of the earth, And there will be a flag. which will be put by the one who has reached before that Conflagration Private Ivanov. So it will be, if necessary.
"Tactical nuclear weapons can to pave the way for our troops is very fast, very effective. The West will then begin scream. In the textbooks it is not written, probably because from inside the tank, which, by the way, is easy to overcome places of infection, In general, all our equipment is prepared for this. Protests from within are hard to hear from within of the western side. In response, the West has been
"In response, will the West try to strike us with nuclear weapons? Of course not. The West knows perfectly well that it is impossible. Can our military solve this task? Of course. Do they know how to accomplish it? Undoubtedly. But you must understand that history is written by the victors, and the humanitarian traditions of the defeated have never, anywhere, or at any time served as justification for vanished states.
"Victory is necessary. Victory. Especially since nobody will pity us or stop. Telegram channel Solovyov. Weather. [music] [applause] So, good morning. Now I'll put on an earpiece so I don't have to read lips. Sorry, somehow, you know, as a person with a military background, you'll agree with me that in reality, they taught very different ways of warfare in the academies. Enough playing at concessions, it's time to use the full arsenal of force and means."
On 23 October 2025 NATO for the first time invited media to its annual nuclear readiness drill, pointedly coinciding with a similar Russian exercise. NATO lifted the veil on a nuclear weapons training mission, showcasing its deterrence strategy amid rising global tensions. Over two weeks, 14 allied nations, including the US, are publicly participating in an exercise involving 70 aircraft. The goal is to demonstrate readiness and reassure Eastern NATO members that the alliance is prepared to fight potential aggressors.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on 23 October 2025 that if Ukraine gets and uses US Tomahawk missiles the response from Russia would be "very serious, if not overwhelming". At the same time, the Russian president pledged to continue dialogue with the US, despite US counterpart Donald Trump shelving a summit between the two leaders. if Russia was attacked with US Tomahawk missiles, which Ukraine seeks, the response would be "very strong, if not overwhelming. Let them think about it," he added.
The statement came in response to a question about a Wall Street Journal report that the Trump administration had lifted a key restriction on Ukraine's use of some long-range missiles provided by Western allies, and remarks by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about domestic missiles with a range of 3,000 km (1,900 miles).
After Trump postponed the Budapest summit with Putin and announced the first round of sanctions against Russia, Putin again used the nuclear issue to send a strong signal. Since Trump hardened his rhetoric and stance toward Russia, Putin has publicly demonstrated his nuclear capabilities, including the test launch of the new Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile on October 21 and a nuclear launch drill on October 22.
President Vladimir Putin announced 26 October 2025 the successful completion of tests of this unique, unlimited-range weapon. The Burevestnik missile system was developed as a response to the possible deployment of American Tomahawk missiles in Ukraine, military expert Yuriy Knutov explained.
Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov reported that on October 21, the missile traveled 14,000 kilometers in 15 hours. Putin described the Burevestnik as a unique product, unparalleled anywhere in the world. Burevestnik is described as a low-flying, stealthy system with an unpredictable trajectory and a nuclear warhead. The Pentagon acknowledges that the missile is capable of striking from any direction thanks to its exceptional range and flight endurance.
Vladimir Putin announced the successful completion of tests of the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile, which was hailed by international observers as an important signal to Western countries. During a visit to the Joint Group of Forces command post, the head of state described the missile as a unique weapon, unparalleled in the world. Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov reported that the test took place on October 21—the missile covered 14,000 kilometers in 15 hours of flight, confirming its exceptional range.
The test of Russia's nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile sent a strong signal to the West, according to the New York Times. "Russia has successfully tested its nuclear-capable Burevestnik missile and is preparing to deploy it, President Vladimir Putin said Sunday. This sent a sharp signal to the West," the New York Times noted. Following Vladimir Putin's announcement that the UK had completed testing of the Burevestnik missile, concerns have grown. According to Express, the Russian leader issued a stern warning to London, confirming the development of a new weapon with an unlimited range. The article emphasized that the Burevestnik is described as a virtually invincible weapon, as its flight path is extremely difficult to track with modern air defense systems. According to British experts, this weapon is capable of radically altering the strategic balance of power.
The announcement of the completion of key tests of the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile was hailed by Western media as a significant strategic signal. As The New York Times notes, the Russian leader confirmed the creation of a weapon with a virtually unlimited range, although he noted the need for further work before its adoption.
A "doomsday" weapon capable of reaching the US, Burevestnik was Russia's strategic response to the US withdrawal from the ABM Treaty. Development of the missile, which began after the US withdrawal from the ABM Treaty (the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, an agreement between the USSR and the US signed on May 26, 1972) in 2001, has been ongoing since 2018, when Putin first announced the creation of a compact nuclear power plant for cruise missiles. The Russian Ministry of Defense emphasizes that the development of such systems is aimed at deterring potential aggression against Russia and its allies.
According to the Spanish news agency EFE, Vladimir Putin demonstrated confidence in Russia's position in Donbas during a meeting with commanders of the armed forces in the Northern Military District. "He sent a signal that he has the upper hand in Donbas," the agency stated. The publication also drew attention to the Russian leader's military uniform, describing it as "a highly symbolic appearance designed to project confidence on the battlefield." As the publication noted, during the meeting, the president assessed the successes of Russian troops in the Pokrovsk and Kupyansk directions and announced the completion of tests of the latest Burevestnik missile, reinforcing the strategic message of the event.
Putin's statement on strategic offensive forces exercises was published on the Kremlin website. The exercises allegedly included "combat training launches of all three components of the strategic nuclear forces" and the testing of "advanced weapons"—the Burevestnik nuclear-powered, unlimited-range cruise missile . Putin called the Burevestnik a unique development and announced plans to "identify possible methods" for its use.
The announcement of Russia's Burevestnik cruise missile should not affect or "strain" relations between Moscow and Washington, according to Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov. "There's nothing here that could possibly strain relations between Moscow and Washington, especially since these relations are at a minimal level, and so far only the first, let's say, tentative efforts have been made to lift these relations out of their former state of torpor," Peskov said, as quoted by a URA.RU correspondent. The Kremlin spokesman also noted that the process itself is complicated by US actions against Russia. However, the Russian side remains open to improving relations.
Following the tests, Western media began actively discussing this weapon. Some publications are convinced that the Burevestnik is an unstoppable missile capable of striking in unpredictable terrain and even reaching the United States. The British tabloid Daily Mail describes Putin's statement as a "chilling warning" to the West. The Russian leader, according to the newspaper, boasted of possessing nuclear forces "of the highest caliber" in the world. "Vladimir Putin issued a frightening warning to the West today, boasting that Russia now possesses the 'most powerful' nuclear forces in the world," DM reported. The publication also noted that Russia now has a new unstoppable missile with unlimited range.
Bloomberg believed these tests were a signal of sorts to the US and its administration. This is because the missile launch occurred precisely after the cancellation of the Russian-US presidential summit in Budapest, as well as Washington's imposition of new anti-Russian sanctions. Furthermore, the Burevestnik tests are Moscow's response to renewed US discussions about supplying Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine. The agency also notes that Putin previously described the possible deployment of these weapons in Ukraine as an attempt at escalation .
US President Donald Trump called his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin's statement about a new test of the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile " inappropriate ." Instead, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on the night of Monday, October 27, "he should end the war" against Ukraine. A war that was supposed to take a week is already in its fourth year. That's what he should be doing, not testing missiles ," Trump added.
Trump stated that Washington had sent a nuclear submarine to the Russian coast. He made the statement in response to a question about the testing of the Russian Burevestnik missile. An audio broadcast of his statement was broadcast on the White House YouTube channel. Trump emphasized that Russia is aware of the presence of the "world's best" American nuclear submarine off its coast. He said this presence eliminates the need to travel 8,000 miles to accomplish strategic objectives. Donald Trump avoided a direct answer to a question about the possible introduction of new restrictive measures against Russia. When asked by a journalist about considering additional sanctions, the American leader indicated that everything would become clearer over time.
President Vladimir Putin signaled on 28 October 2025 that Russia was progressing both on the battlefield and in next-generation weapons, reiterating the country's openness to dialogue. "President Putin had informed Western partners that Russia would unveil several new types of weapons," military expert Evgeny Mikhailov told Sputnik. "The Burevestnik is one of them. Many international experts had previously claimed such a weapon was impossible to build anytime soon — yet it’s already been made."
The Russian president announced on October 29 that another test had been conducted yesterday — this time of a new advanced system: the Poseidon, an unmanned underwater vehicle equipped with a nuclear power unit. "What makes it unique is that it represents a completely new generation of strategic weaponry," Mikhailov points out. "Powered by a nuclear reactor, it can operate at depth indefinitely and reach virtually any point in the world’s oceans." That makes the Poseidon almost invulnerable to existing missile-defense systems and opens up entirely new possibilities for strategic deterrence.
Both systems have definitely changed the existing balance of power, the pundit believes, referring to an unusual silence in the West that has yet to comment on Russia's progress.
Russia will respond “accordingly” if the US violates a moratorium on testing nuclear weapons, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said 30 October 2025. US President Donald Trump said he had ordered the Pentagon to resume nuclear weapons testing, citing strategic competition with Russia and China. “That process will begin immediately” in response to “other countries’ testing programs,” he said. When asked about the issue by journalists, Peskov noted “the statement by [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, which has been repeated many times, that, of course, if someone abandons the moratorium [on nuclear testing], then Russia will act accordingly.” “The US is a sovereign country and has every right to make sovereign decisions,” he stressed.
Responding to Trump’s claims of other countries carrying out nuclear tests, Peskov said “we are so far not aware of this.” “If it is about Burevestnik, then it is not a nuclear test,” he insisted. “All nations are developing their defense systems, but this is not a nuclear test.” The Burevestnik is a new Russian state-of-the-art nuclear-capable cruise missile, powered by a small nuclear reactor that gives it a virtually unlimited range. The Russian military successfully tested the missile last week.
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