Vladimir Putin May Launch Stronger Ballistic Missile Strikes on Ukraine As Peace Talks Stall: Report

Russian President Vladimir Putin is considering options for further escalating the war in Ukraine, including potentially more powerful ballistic missile strikes against Kyiv and, as a last resort, the use of tactical nuclear weapons, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, August 26, citing people familiar with the Kremlin’s thinking. The report comes as diplomatic efforts to end the war have reached an impasse.

According to the sources cited by Bloomberg, Moscow believes existing negotiation frameworks have effectively failed and that the conflict has returned to a starting point. The sources said Putin is unlikely to end the war simply because of economic pressure from sanctions or Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries and logistics networks. World War 3 Fears: Andy Burnham Warned of Russia Strike Over Ukraine Support, UK Defence Sites on Alert.

Moscow Sees Ukrainian Strikes As NATO-Backed Attacks

The sources said Moscow increasingly views Ukrainian strikes as attacks involving NATO countries because alliance members continue to supply Kyiv with weapons and intelligence.

They also indicated that the current phase of the war may not represent the highest level of military escalation, raising concerns that Russia could expand its attacks.

The assessment comes amid continued Ukrainian strikes against Russian military and energy-related targets, while Russia maintains its campaign against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

Peace Talks Reach An Impasse

US efforts to broker an end to the war have so far failed to produce a breakthrough, according to the Bloomberg report. Negotiations have reportedly stalled as US President Donald Trump has focused on the conflict with Iran. The Kremlin has also backed away from what it believed was an understanding reached between Putin and Trump during their summit in Alaska last August.

According to the sources, the failure of diplomacy has reinforced the view in Moscow that further military pressure may be necessary to achieve Russia's objectives.

Donetsk Remains A Major Sticking Point

Any potential US-backed settlement would require pressure on Ukraine to surrender Donetsk Oblast, according to the report.

Ukraine has consistently rejected Putin's demand to hand over the "fortress belt of cities" in Donetsk Oblast. Russian forces have failed to capture those cities during fighting that has continued since 2014.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio made Washington's position clear in June, stating: "If a deal had been reached, the war would already be over".

Kremlin Sources See Few Alternatives

According to sources close to the Kremlin, Moscow sees few alternatives to further escalation in the absence of renewed diplomatic progress.

Russia reportedly still hopes that Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff will travel to Moscow with new proposals. However, expectations of a breakthrough are said to be low.

The sources also said the Kremlin believes it has already made concessions during the war and that each concession weakened Russia's position. In that assessment, Anchorage was viewed as another compromise that ultimately failed to produce an agreement.

Tactical Nuclear Weapons Concern

The most serious concern raised in the report is the possibility that Putin could eventually consider tactical nuclear weapons if the conflict continues to escalate.

The sources said an increasing number of Russian officials believe Putin may ultimately decide to use tactical nuclear weapons as a last resort in Ukraine.

However, the report describes this as an assessment of officials familiar with the Kremlin's thinking, rather than confirmation that a decision to use nuclear weapons has been made.

Any use of a nuclear weapon in Ukraine would represent a major escalation of the conflict and carry potentially far-reaching consequences for Russia, Ukraine and NATO.

What Happens Next?

With negotiations stalled and both sides maintaining fundamentally different positions over territory and security, the immediate prospects for a diplomatic breakthrough remain uncertain.

The Bloomberg report suggests that Moscow is weighing further military escalation while keeping open the possibility of new proposals from US intermediaries. For Kyiv, the central challenge remains resisting Russian territorial demands while maintaining Western military and diplomatic support.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 26, 2026 11:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).