Kremlin Threat Escalates: Russian State Media Demands 'Liquidation' of Zelensky and Use of Nuclear Artillery Shells

The Ukraine-Russia conflict escalated after pundits from the latter's camp argued the case for nuclear armaments.

Moscow's rhetoric on the ongoing Ukraine conflict has escalated to explicit calls for extreme measures, with Russian state media pushing for nuclear munitions. The rally also singled out Volodymyr Zelensky as a priority target.

Moscow ought to brand Zelensky 'an international terrorist, which essentially would unleash our special services for his liquidation,' Col. Yuri Knutov, a military analyst, wrote in the Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

Russian officials have framed the measures as defensive responses to perceived NATO threats along the Belarus and Russian frontiers, both bound into a united authoritarian state.

'We are constantly ready to use all means, including nuclear ones, to ensure the security of the Union State,' said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, citing an alleged accumulation of NATO forces near their borders as an instigating threat.

Military Expert Endorses 'Low-Yield' Nuclear Charges

The statement also framed tactical nuclear options as battlefield tools rather than strategic strikes, involving low-yield nuclear munitions powerful enough to break Ukrainian defences. 'These do not necessarily have to be missiles with a warhead of ten kilotons,' Krutov explained. 'For example, we have 152mm shells with special [nuclear] warheads in service. That is, with low-yield charges.'

'They should ensure our breakthrough in key directions,' he added. 'In other words, if we use them in three or four places in the Ukrainian Armed Forces' defences, then we are guaranteed to move forward because of the absence of fortifications and enemy manpower.

US Diplomat Calls Out Moscow's Rhetoric

Moscow's recent losses on the battlefield are largely attributed to Ukrainian drones and missiles, a setback that fueled the incendiary comments. Russia's strategists have since insisted on a more heavy-handed approach that would flip the momentum.

The Daily Star reports that Ukraine has so far been very effective in the war, causing massive casualties and forcing the Russian front line's retreat.

Western diplomats and the United States have responded with stark warnings about the strategic consequences if Russia continues to escalate, framing the invasion as self-defeating.

'Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been a strategic disaster. Its oil refineries are ablaze and Russia is losing 5,000 people per month,' US representative to the UN Security Council Dan Negrea said, adding that 'Escalation will not change that and only risks making the disaster worse.'

Nuclear Armaments Not Enough, Says Russian Analyst

The Rossiyskaya Gazeta was explicit in its public call for extreme measures. Suggesting tactical weapons beyond nuclear armaments, the outlet also endorsed conventional massive aerial bombs to pulverise defences. 'Such actions are part of combat tactics and are known to our General Staff,' Knutov argued.

'It is also necessary to make more extensive use of our most powerful aerial bombs, the FAB-3000 and FAB-9000. If actively used on a particular sector, such munitions are also capable of grinding down the enemy's defences, including its buried positions.'

NATO's concurrent Ramstein Flag 2026 exercises, which demonstrate allied support for Ukraine, also serve as a backdrop to the escalatory statements. Both sides' rhetoric signals readiness and deterrence.

Analysts caution that calls in state media and from individual military figures do not equate to formal policy. These still alter the information environment and raise stakes for crisis management.