Russia is playing with fire: Nuclear threats could backfire, warns NSDC

The Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) urges the media and society not to fall for Russia’s nuclear “scare tactics.” Such statements are an element of psychological warfare aimed at amplifying fear among Western countries and exerting pressure without the actual use of weapons.

This was said by Head of the NSDC’s Center for Countering Disinformation, Lieutenant Andriy Kovalenko.

“All the current talk about a nuclear threat in Western media only benefits Russia. Nuclear scare tactics are part of the propaganda of fear, which they have always used to intimidate Western societies to achieve their goals without war,” he said.

According to Kovalenko, the primary goal of such narratives is to incite panic.

“Publications about a Russian nuclear strike solely fuel fear,” he noted.

The head of the Center also stressed that even the mere act of making threats could harm Russia itself.

“We must always remember: even the theoretical desire to use nuclear weapons will harm Russia far more. The whole world stands against this. And Russia still relies solely on energy resources that others continue to buy,” Kovalenko explained.

In conclusion, he called for not fueling the enemy’s information campaign:

“Don’t help the Russians with their fear propaganda about nuclear weapons for the sake of media traffic. Stay calm,” he concluded.