Vatnik Soup

Russian Nuclear Threats Timeline

Nuclear blackmail: 106 threats.

26.11.2024Russia’s Medvedev warns West over discussing nuclear weapons for Ukraine
19.11.2024Putin threatens to use nuclear weapons against the West if Ukraine fires US long-range missiles on Russian soil
18.11.2024Russia threatens UK with ‘nuclear war by Christmas’ in chilling WW3 warning
27.10.2024Putin Says Hopes West ‘Heard’ Warning Over Long-Range Strikes
27.10.2024Putin threatens ‘range of responses’ if Ukraine strikes deep into Russia
27.09.2024Putin draws a nuclear red line for the West
26.09.2024Putin issues nuclear warning to the West over strikes on Russia from Ukraine
19.09.2024Putin ally warns West of nuclear war over Ukraine
14.09.2024Putin draws new red line on long-range missiles
13.09.2024Don’t forget Russia is a nuclear power, says UN ambassador
21.06.2024Putin Threatens Nuclear Response if West Bolsters Ukraine Support
20.06.2024Russia considering changes to nuclear doctrine, Putin claims
06.06.2024Putin warns he could provide weapons to attack the West and issues new nuclear threat
12.05.2024Putin Ally Threatens NATO Countries With ‘Special Ammunition’
10.05.2024Belarus dictator Lukashenko admits he is ‘bonkers’ and has no ‘red lines’ as he threatens the West with nukes and warns ’we are closer than ever to nuclear catastrophe’
10.05.2024Putin hires hardline professor who suggested nuking Europe to ‘test NATO’s resolve’ for Kremlin role ‘deterring the West’
09.05.2024Putin Renews Nuclear Threats Against West at Military Parade
06.05.2024Russia announces nuclear weapon drills after angry exchange with Western officials
06.05.2024Medvedev warns of nuclear attacks on European capitals in case of sending troops to Ukraine
17.04.2024Ukraine May Have Just Crossed Putin’s Nuclear Red Line
18.03.2024Putin warns the West a Russia-NATO conflict is just one step from World War Three
14.03.2024Putin warns the West: Russia is ready for nuclear war
29.02.2024Putin threatens NATO with nuclear strike if it sends troops to Ukraine
28.02.2024Russia prepared for nuclear attack on China, leaked papers reveal
18.02.2024Russia’s Medvedev threatens to nuke US, UK, Germany, Ukraine
17.01.2024Russia-US relations ‘teetering on brink of abyss’, ambassador to US says
11.01.2024Medvedev warns of nuclear response if Ukraine hits missile launch sites
16.11.2023Russia loads missile with nuclear-capable glide vehicle into launch silo
06.11.2023Russian Official Issues Nuclear Weapons Warning After Historic Achievement
30.10.2023Western policy towards Russia threatens military clash between nuclear powers — Shoigu
20.10.2023American-led world sliding headfirst into deepest abyss, Medvedev says
05.10.2023Russia’s retaliatory nuclear strike to leave enemy with no chances of survival — Putin
30.07.2023Russia’s Medvedev: We’d have to use a nuclear weapon if Ukrainian offensive was a success
13.07.2023Russia to view F-16 fighter jets in Ukraine as threat in nuclear sphere - Lavrov
03.07.2023Russia’s Medvedev says standoff with West to last decades, Ukraine conflict ’permanent’
25.06.2023There is no choice left: Russia will have to launch a nuclear strike on Europe
21.06.2023US, NATO’s aggressive policies may result in clash between nuclear powers
16.06.2023Vladimir Putin delivers keynote address at St Petersburg forum
26.05.2023Russia’s Medvedev warns West is underestimating risks of nuclear escalation over Ukraine
23.05.2023Russia’s Medvedev: Western arms for Ukraine make ‘nuclear apocalypse’ more likely
04.05.2023Putin Allies Split Over Using Tactical Nuclear Weapons in Ukraine
25.04.2023Russia warns again that risks of nuclear confrontation with US growing
25.04.2023Putin ally: We are probably on verge of a new world war
05.04.2023Russia, US are in hot conflict phase — senior diplomat
27.03.2023Putin ally says Russia has weapons to destroy US if its existence is threatened
26.03.2023Putin says Moscow to place nuclear weapons in Belarus, US reacts cautiously
23.03.2023Any attempt to arrest Putin would be declaration of war on Russia, ally says
22.03.2023Russia says risk of nuclear conflict at highest level in decades
27.02.2023Russia’s Medvedev says arms supplies to Kyiv threaten global nuclear catastrophe
23.02.2023Ukraine defends front, Putin talks up nuclear arsenal on war anniversary eve
22.02.2023Russia’s war on Ukraine latest: Putin gives nuclear warning, Biden rallies allies
04.02.2023Russia’s Medvedev says more U.S. weapons supplies mean ‘all of Ukraine will burn’
19.01.2023Putin ally warns NATO of nuclear war if Russia is defeated in Ukraine
25.12.2022Only Russia’s nuclear arms preventing West from declaring war - Putin ally
09.12.2022Russia may borrow US idea of disarming strike — Putin
05.12.2022Russia’s Lavrov: NATO policy risks ‘direct clash’ between nuclear powers
30.11.2022Russia says it will focus on building nuclear arms infrastructure in 2023
17.11.2022Russia is not considering using nuclear weapons - Kremlin says
02.11.2022Russia: West must stop ‘encouraging provocations’ to avoid nuclear disaster
18.10.2022Russia says seized Ukrainian lands are under its nuclear protection
13.10.2022Russian official warns of World War Three if Ukraine joins NATO
05.10.2022Ukraine can be defeated with a nuclear strike on the United States - Fedorov
01.10.2022Kadyrov says Russia should use low-yield nuclear weapon
27.09.2022Medvedev raises spectre of Russian nuclear strike on Ukraine
23.09.2022Moscow ‘not threatening anyone’ with nuclear weapons
22.09.2022Russia’s Medvedev: new regions can be defended with strategic nuclear weapons
21.09.2022Ex-Putin adviser warns UK cities could be hit with nuclear weapons if Britain ‘continues to be aggressor’
21.09.2022Putin escalates Ukraine war, issues nuclear threat to West
18.08.2022Russia says nuclear weapons use possible only in ‘emergency circumstances’
12.08.2022‘Accidents can happen at European nuclear plants too’, Russian ex-president says
01.08.2022Putin says no one can win a nuclear war
17.07.2022Russia’s Medvedev: Attack on Crimea will ignite ‘Judgement Day’ response
06.07.2022Russia’s Medvedev warns United States: messing with a nuclear power is folly
12.05.2022Russia says Finnish entry to NATO poses threat to which it will respond
10.05.2022On possible nuclear strike, Russia says: it’s all in our military doctrine
06.05.2022Russian will not use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, foreign ministry says
30.04.2022Russia says risks of nuclear war must be kept to minimum, TASS reports
25.04.2022Russia’s Lavrov: Do not underestimate threat of nuclear war
24.04.2022Russia warns of nuclear, hypersonic deployment if Sweden and Finland join NATO
22.03.2022Kremlin spokesman: Russia would use nuclear weapons only in case of ‘threat to existence of state’
28.02.2022‘You’ll face consequences greater than any in history’: Putin warns West
28.02.2022‘Why Do We Need a World if Russia Is Not In It?’: State TV Presenter Opens Show With Ominous Address
27.02.2022Putin nuclear alert order part of pattern of made-up threats, U.S. says
27.02.2022Putin puts nuclear deterrent on alert; West squeezes Russian economy
24.02.2022EU says Putin’s ominous threat to those who hinder him marks ‘critical moment’
13.12.2021Russia says it may be forced to deploy mid-range nuclear missiles in Europe
25.02.2019After Putin’s warning, Russian TV lists nuclear targets in U.S.
21.02.2019Putin to U.S.: I’m ready for another Cuban Missile-style crisis if you want one
20.02.2019Putin threatens to target US if it deploys missiles in nearby European countries
20.12.2018Putin warns the threat of nuclear war should not be underestimated
24.10.2018Russia will target European countries if they host U.S. nuclear missiles: Putin
27.05.2015Nato chief says Russian nuclear threats are ‘deeply troubling and dangerous’
22.03.2015Russia threatens to aim nuclear missiles at Denmark ships if it joins NATO shield
01.09.2014Russia Has Threatened Nuclear Attack, Says Ukraine Defense Minister
11.07.2014Russia Threatens Nuclear Strikes Over Crimea
14.05.2014Rogozin: Next time I will fly the Tu-160 (nuclear bomber)
16.03.2014Russia can turn US to radioactive ash - Kremlin-backed journalist
04.04.2012NATO - Russia talk of pre-emptive strike unjustified
23.03.2012Medvedev calls missile defense a threat to Russia
23.11.2011Russia in Europe missile threat
01.12.2010Russia’s Putin warns West over missile defense: report
13.10.2009Russia reserves pre-emptive nuclear strike right
15.08.2008Moscow warns it could strike Poland over US missile shield
13.02.2008Putin issues nuclear threat to Ukraine over plan to host US shield
11.04.2007Russia threatening new cold war over missile defence
10.12.1999Yeltsin gives US nuclear warning

Based on a list by Cuthbert, maintained by GrandTurion.

If we missed a threat, do let us know (but please make sure first it is not the same threat that one we already listed). Note that we include here only “official” threats, that is, threats made by Russian government officials, not all those made by minor parties (e.g. NOD) or state-media propagandists (e.g. Solovyov), although, of course, those are at the very least tolerated (if not encouraged) by an otherwise heavily censoring regime. For those you can follow Julia Davis.

See also: Red lines in the Russo-Ukrainian War