U.S President, Donald Trump, has ordered the deployment of two nuclear submarines in response to rising tensions with Russia, marking a significant escalation from a social media spat into strategic military posturing.
The move follows several days of online exchanges between Trump and Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, over the war in Ukraine and economic sanctions.
“Based on the highly provocative statements,” Trump announced via Truth Social, “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.”
“Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences. I hope this will not be one of those instances,” he added.
The dramatic action comes as Trump has set a deadline for Russia to take steps toward ending the war in Ukraine by next week, warning of new, unspecified sanctions if no progress is made.
Despite the pressure from Washington, Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine remains relentless.
According to AFP, July saw a record number of drone attacks by Russian forces, and in late July, a combined missile and drone assault on Kyiv killed 31 civilians, including five children.
President Vladimir Putin, while reiterating that he “wants peace,” said Russia’s conditions remain “unchanged.” These include Ukraine ceding territory and abandoning plans to join NATO.
While Trump did not clarify whether the submarines are nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed, or where they are being deployed, his announcement breaks from the typically discreet nature of U.S nuclear operations.
The U.S maintains a nuclear triad land, sea, and air-based weapons with submarines permanently on patrol.
The online back-and-forth with Medvedev turned particularly aggressive.
Medvedev had mocked Trump’s stance on sanctions and referenced Russia’s Cold War-era “Dead Hand” nuclear retaliation system.
Trump, in turn, branded Medvedev “the failed former President of Russia, who thinks he’s still President,” and warned that he was “entering very dangerous territory.”
Medvedev, once seen as a moderate, has become a prominent hardliner and outspoken supporter of Putin’s war strategy, though his influence in Russian politics is now limited.
Meanwhile, in Kyiv, residents observed a day of mourning for those killed in the most recent Russian attack. Among the victims were five children, the youngest just two years old.
One mourner, Iryna Drozd, a 28-year-old mother, laid flowers at the site.
“These are flowers because children died. We brought flowers because we have children. Our children live across the street from here,” she said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky again called for direct peace talks with Putin.
“The United States has proposed this. Ukraine has supported it. What is needed is Russia’s readiness,” he posted on X.
