Russia preparing to intensify strikes on Kyiv and other regions of Ukraine – Bloomberg
Russia is reported to be preparing to increase the intensity of ballistic missile strikes on Ukraine as talks on a peace deal reach a deadlock.
Source: Bloomberg citing three people close to the Kremlin
Quote: "Russia is weighing an intensification of powerful conventional ballistic missile attacks on Kyiv, including the centre of the capital, and infrastructure targets in other Ukrainian cities, the people said, asking not to be identified because the matter is sensitive."
Details: The sources said all attempts at negotiations have effectively collapsed and the two sides are back at square one.
They also said Russian leader Vladimir Putin will not end the war under the economic pressure of sanctions and Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries and logistics networks.
Quote: "Moscow increasingly views the Ukrainian strikes as attacks by NATO states because alliance members supply Kyiv with weapons and intelligence, the people said. The current phase of hostilities isn't the peak of military escalation, they said."
More details: Four people close to the Kremlin explained that in the absence of diplomatic efforts, Moscow sees few alternatives to further escalation in order to achieve its military aims.
Although Russia hopes that US President Donald Trump's representatives Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff will arrive in Moscow with new proposals, expectations of a breakthrough are very low, Bloomberg's sources said.
The people close to the Kremlin also said a growing number of Russian officials are coming to the conclusion that "Putin could eventually opt to use tactical nuclear weapons as a last resort in Ukraine".
"The volume of chatter in Moscow from hawks advocating such a step has increased recently. An extreme response is viewed as possible because the only outcome worse than continuing the war for Putin would be losing it," Bloomberg reports, adding however that "there's no sign yet that Russia is preparing to fire nuclear weapons in Ukraine".
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