Luke Harding

Yeah, I mean, the question is a fair one, but the paradigm is completely wrong. I mean, we just have to sort of go back to basics here. Russia invaded Ukraine more than 10 years ago when an ex-Crimean started a kind of covert military operation in the east of the country and seized the cities of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Yeah, I mean, the question is a fair one, but the paradigm is completely wrong. I mean, we just have to sort of go back to basics here. Russia invaded Ukraine more than 10 years ago when an ex-Crimean started a kind of covert military operation in the east of the country and seized the cities of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Yeah, I mean, the question is a fair one, but the paradigm is completely wrong. I mean, we just have to sort of go back to basics here. Russia invaded Ukraine more than 10 years ago when an ex-Crimean started a kind of covert military operation in the east of the country and seized the cities of Donetsk and Luhansk.

So Russia's been escalating all the way through. And then, of course, in February 2022, it launched the biggest war, land war, in Europe since 1945, with shock and awe, with tank divisions trying to capture Kyiv, with a multi-pronged invasion.

So Russia's been escalating all the way through. And then, of course, in February 2022, it launched the biggest war, land war, in Europe since 1945, with shock and awe, with tank divisions trying to capture Kyiv, with a multi-pronged invasion.

So Russia's been escalating all the way through. And then, of course, in February 2022, it launched the biggest war, land war, in Europe since 1945, with shock and awe, with tank divisions trying to capture Kyiv, with a multi-pronged invasion.

Which the Ukrainians, really to the surprise of America and other allies, kind of batted back.

Which the Ukrainians, really to the surprise of America and other allies, kind of batted back.

Which the Ukrainians, really to the surprise of America and other allies, kind of batted back.

And they've been, you know, trying to take back territory and really, you know, in the last year or so, just hold the front line with varying degrees of success. And during this period, there have been no nuclear strikes. You know, Putin has not nuked Texas or London or Paris or indeed Kiev or southern Ukraine. It's the most enormous bluff.

And they've been, you know, trying to take back territory and really, you know, in the last year or so, just hold the front line with varying degrees of success. And during this period, there have been no nuclear strikes. You know, Putin has not nuked Texas or London or Paris or indeed Kiev or southern Ukraine. It's the most enormous bluff.

And they've been, you know, trying to take back territory and really, you know, in the last year or so, just hold the front line with varying degrees of success. And during this period, there have been no nuclear strikes. You know, Putin has not nuked Texas or London or Paris or indeed Kiev or southern Ukraine. It's the most enormous bluff.

And it's a sort of psychological operation designed to cow the democratic world and to make them afraid of supporting Ukraine. And also to promote the myth that Russia can't lose this war.

And it's a sort of psychological operation designed to cow the democratic world and to make them afraid of supporting Ukraine. And also to promote the myth that Russia can't lose this war.

And it's a sort of psychological operation designed to cow the democratic world and to make them afraid of supporting Ukraine. And also to promote the myth that Russia can't lose this war.

No. Not really. Is it a myth? I mean, it's rhetorical. It's performative. It's ultimately fake. I mean, the threat of Russia launching a nuclear attack is no greater now than it was... two years ago, that the reality is that in any direct confrontation between Russia and the US and its allies, Russia would lose. I mean, America is a more formidable power. NATO is bigger and mightier.

No. Not really. Is it a myth? I mean, it's rhetorical. It's performative. It's ultimately fake. I mean, the threat of Russia launching a nuclear attack is no greater now than it was... two years ago, that the reality is that in any direct confrontation between Russia and the US and its allies, Russia would lose. I mean, America is a more formidable power. NATO is bigger and mightier.

No. Not really. Is it a myth? I mean, it's rhetorical. It's performative. It's ultimately fake. I mean, the threat of Russia launching a nuclear attack is no greater now than it was... two years ago, that the reality is that in any direct confrontation between Russia and the US and its allies, Russia would lose. I mean, America is a more formidable power. NATO is bigger and mightier.

And it's just a sort of tremendous bluff. I mean, I think it should be interpreted as a... operational, informational game. I think what's a more realistic scenario is not the Russians launching nukes, is some kind of fuck-up. Bear in mind that Russia has occupied, since spring 2022, the nuclear power station in Zaporizhia. It blew up the reservoir, which provided the cooling pond.

And it's just a sort of tremendous bluff. I mean, I think it should be interpreted as a... operational, informational game. I think what's a more realistic scenario is not the Russians launching nukes, is some kind of fuck-up. Bear in mind that Russia has occupied, since spring 2022, the nuclear power station in Zaporizhia. It blew up the reservoir, which provided the cooling pond.