Ukraine war briefing: Kyiv’s military claims downing of Russian fighter plane over Donetsk region
GuardianOCT 2024
Russia Warns of 'War with Catastrophic Consequences'
Above: The Russian Foreign Ministry building and Moscow's International Business Centre (Moskva City) behind the dome of a church in central Moscow on Oct.18, 2022. Image copyright: Alexander Nemenov/AFP/Contributor via Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
While Putin's nuclear signaling may be dangerous as it brings the world closer to the use of such weapons, there are some benefits in that it tells Ukraine's partners the limit of attacks that Russia can tolerate before it decides it's going nuclear. In either instance, the real threat of the use of nuclear weapons remains relatively low.
Establishment-critical narrative
Despite the rhetoric of politicians, NATO weapons and unmarked NATO soldiers are currently invading nuclear-armed Russia in its Kursk region. World War III has already begun and no one is talking about it.