Putin Prepares to Escalate Missile Strikes as Ukraine Talks Stall

Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly preparing to intensify ballistic missile attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities as peace talks have reached a complete impasse, according to multiple sources close to the Kremlin. The escalation comes amid growing concern within Moscow’s inner circle that the conflict could eventually lead to the use of tactical nuclear weapons, though analysts and officials stress this remains an extreme last-resort scenario with no current preparations underway. The renewed discussion of nuclear options, first reported by Bloomberg, underscores the increasingly narrow space for diplomacy.