kremlin spokesman dmitry peskov said that russia will not use nuclear weapons in response to drone attacks on russian territory, urging “not to overemphasize the new nuclear doctrine” or link it to the so-called “smo”.

◽️ This interpretation of putin’s “red lines” is presented in russian media as a way to “temper the extreme nuclear rhetoric”. Notably, this statement was made amidst the “nuclear ecstasy” of russia’s top propagandists, who went far beyond common sense in their threats to Western countries.

◽️ peskov’s statement represents the kremlin’s effort to distance itself from irresponsible nuclear threats, aiming to preserve the remnants of putin’s “peacekeeper” image, which has frequently talked about a supposed “readiness for negotiations.”

The shift in nuclear rhetoric is yet another evidence that moscow is bluffing. The kremlin understands that these threats no longer have the intended effect on the West, which has grown more determined, viewing russia as a nuclear aggressor that must be confronted.