The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has escalated into a missile brinkmanship reminiscent of Cold War tensions. Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed the test-firing of a new intermediate-range missile last week, a move he described as a response to recent US and UK-supplied long-range missile strikes by Ukraine targeting military sites within Russia. While the tested missile carried no nuclear warhead, its experimental features, including hypersonic speed and multiple warheads, have raised global concerns.Ukraine’s efforts aim to secure leverage for potential ceasefire talks, while Russia escalates threats ahead of Donald Trump’s upcoming US presidency. Both nations face limited supplies of advanced weaponry, impacting the military significance of their strikes. Meanwhile, reports of North Korean soldiers joining Russian forces and territorial escalations have further complicated the situation.As Ukraine’s forces struggle with manpower shortages on the battlefield, the focus increasingly shifts to the political implications of missile exchanges. With the nuclear threshold lowered by Russia and Western nations expanding Ukraine’s missile capabilities, the war appears to be entering a strategic phase aimed at influencing future negotiations. n18oc_crux
