US President Donald Trump dramatically escalated his war of words with a Russian official on Friday by ordering the deployment of two nuclear submarines, taking the clash from online insults to the shadowy realm of nuclear deterrence.
Trump and Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s Deputy Chairman of the Security Council, had spent days trading barbs on social media. But Trump’s post on his Truth Social platform marked a sharp shift into the real and rarely publicised world of strategic military forces.
“Based on the highly provocative statements,” Trump wrote, “I have ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that.”
He warned that “words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences,” expressing hope that this situation would not be one of them.
The move came as Trump’s self-imposed deadline approached, demanding that Russia begin withdrawing from Ukraine by the end of next week or face unspecified new sanctions. Despite mounting pressure, Russian forces continue their relentless assault on Ukraine.
An AFP analysis released Friday revealed that Russia launched a record number of drone attacks on Ukraine in July. Since June, these strikes have killed hundreds of civilians. On Thursday, a missile and drone barrage on Kyiv left 31 people dead, including five children.
President Vladimir Putin, while repeating claims of wanting peace, stated on Friday that his terms for ending the nearly three-and-a-half-year war remain unchanged: Ukraine must cede territory and abandon its bid to join NATO.
Insults and Nuclear Threats
Although Trump did not clarify whether the submarines were nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed, nor did he disclose their deployment locations, his announcement represents a rare public acknowledgment of nuclear positioning.
Both the United States and Russia possess the majority of the world’s nuclear weapons, and Washington keeps nuclear-armed submarines on constant patrol as part of its nuclear triad of land-, sea-, and air-based deterrence.
Trump did not specify which of Medvedev’s remarks triggered his decision, but the Russian official had recently alluded to the Cold War-era “Dead Hand” — an automated system designed to ensure retaliation in the event of a nuclear strike.
Medvedev had mocked Trump on Telegram, following the American president’s criticism of the “dead economies” of Russia and India. He also condemned Trump’s threat of additional sanctions, accusing him of playing “the ultimatum game” and warning that Russia was no pushover.
Trump hit back, calling Medvedev “the failed former President of Russia, who thinks he’s still President,” and warned him on Wednesday night to “watch his words” as he was “entering very dangerous territory.”
Though Medvedev served as Russia’s President from 2008 to 2012, he is now largely considered a mouthpiece for Kremlin hardliners and a proponent of Putin’s war. Once seen as a reformer, Medvedev has since become notorious for pushing extreme nationalist rhetoric online.
Grief in Kyiv
In Kyiv, Friday marked a sombre day of mourning as residents remembered the 31 civilians killed in Thursday’s attacks. The majority had died in a nine-storey apartment building that was ripped open by a missile.
Rescue workers continued to retrieve bodies from the rubble. Among the dead were five children — the youngest just two years old.
“We brought flowers because children died. We have children too. Ours live across the street,” said Iryna Drozd, a 28-year-old mother of three, who came to the site to lay flowers.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky renewed his call for direct talks with Putin, stating that only the Russian leader could end the war.
“The United States has proposed this. Ukraine has supported it. What is needed is Russia’s readiness,” Zelensky posted on X.