With Rising Casualties, Is Moscow Mulling a Shift in Nuclear Doctrine?

While the deputy foreign minister recently suggested a lower threshold for use of nuclear weapons, Mr. Putin’s own stance has been inconsistent.

Gunners from 43rd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine fire at Russian position with a 155 mm self-propelled howitzer 2C22 "Bohdana," in the Kharkiv region, amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine on April 21, 2024. Anatolii Stepanov/AFP via Getty Images

Commentary

Since the onset of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, verifying the true extent of military casualties has been challenging. Recent analysis, however, points to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense’s figures as increasingly accurate reflections of the situation.