«--[· Preface ·]--»
In recent times, US-Russian relations have rapidly turned straight, especially after the United States has repeatedly airborne to help Ukraine with "war-ax" missiles, US-Russia has reached the point of direct stabbing, US President Trump even ordered US nuclear submarines to hide near the Russian coastline.
«--[· Nuclear submarine approaches Russian coast ·]--»
In the summer of 2025, US-Russian relations faced the most severe test since the end of the Cold War. On the morning of August 2, the US "Military Times" suddenly revealed that U.S. President Trump ordered two U.S. nuclear submarines to head to the surrounding waters of Russia on the basis of Russia's "very provocative remarks".
The two nuclear submarines sailed like ghosts in the Barents Sea and Oaxaca Sea, carrying the "Tri-Ford" submarine missiles covering the entire territory of Russia, forming a direct nuclear deterrence.
On the evening of October 27, the Avia website quoted Trump's public statement as saying that a US nuclear attack submarine had been lurking on duty off the coast of Russia and was able to "respond to any threat." The news shook the world because the concealment and penetration capabilities of nuclear submarines made them one of the most deadly weapons in modern naval warfare.
The deployment of U.S. submarines has long been under real-time monitoring by Russia, but this behavior of "showing muscles up at close range" has undoubtedly intensified the military confrontation between the two sides.
In fact, the military pressure of the United States is not an isolated incident. Since Trump returned to the White House in early 2025, his Russia policy has become increasingly tough. Not only has he repeatedly threatened to impose tariffs on Russia, but he has also deployed more anti-missile systems and tactical nuclear weapons on NATO's eastern flank.
What makes Russia even more vigilant is that the United States has repeatedly announced that it will assist Ukraine with the Tomahawk cruise missile. Once this weapon with a range of more than 2000 kilometers is put into the battlefield, it will directly threaten Russia's domestic security.
“Putin’s sword.”
Faced with the pressure of the United States, Russian President Vladimir Putin chose to respond with a tough stance. On October 22, the Russian army held a comprehensive strategic nuclear force exercise codenamed "Thunder-2025", which was personally commanded by Putin.
During the exercise, a "Yars" intercontinental ballistic missile soared from the Plesetsk space launch site and flew at a speed of more than Mach 20 towards the Kula shooting range on the Kamchatka Peninsula 6000 kilometers away. At the same time, the strategic nuclear submarine "Bryansk" in the Barents Sea launched the "Deep Blue" submarine-launched ballistic missile, while the Tu-95MS strategic bomber launched the Kh-102 nuclear cruise missile in the air. The scale and pertinence of this exercise are eye-catching.
The Yars missile can carry 3-4 split-guided nuclear warheads, and its upgraded version even has the ability to break through existing anti-missile systems; the Deep Blue missile has a range of more than 8000 kilometers and can attack multiple targets at the same time.
The nuclear warhead yield of the Kh-102 cruise missile is as high as 1 million tons, which is 67 times that of the Hiroshima atomic bomb. Russian Defense Minister Shoigu emphasized in his report that the exercise tested the Russian army's ability to quickly counterattack after suffering a nuclear strike, and all missiles accurately hit the target.
More symbolically, Russia withdrew its ratification of the Treaty on the Comprehensive Prohibition of Nuclear Tests during the exercise, which is interpreted by the outside world as a signal that Moscow is preparing to resume nuclear tests.Former Deputy Foreign Minister Orjani said the move was a “mirror response” to the U.S. deployment of nuclear weapons in Europe, aimed at restoring the strategic balance.
«--[· India refuses to take sides ·]-»
At the same time as the US-Russia fierce game, India’s position has become a key variable that affects the global landscape. As a traditional ally of Russia and a “Indo-Pacific strategic” partner of the United States, India has shown a rare independence in this crisis.
India continues to deepen military cooperation with Russia. At the Bangalore Air Show in February 2025, Russia showed India the Su-57E stealth fighter for the first time, competing with the US F-35A.
Despite the U.S. threat of sanctions, India continues to insist on purchasing the S-400 air defense missile system and plans to introduce Russia's "Bramus" supersonic cruise missiles. India's Foreign Minister Sujetin made it clear that India is not "a pale imitation of the West" and will not give up its own interests in the competition of major powers.
In August 2025, Trump threatened tariffs on Indian imports of Russian oil, and India's Foreign Ministry issued a statement late at night, accusing the U.S. practice of "neither unfair nor reasonable" and stressing that it will take all measures to safeguard national interests.
The Indian military even reversed historical accounts, reminding the outside world that the United States had supported Pakistan in the Indian-Pakistan war of 1971, suggesting a decline in confidence in the United States.
India's strategic community believes that choosing sides in the US-Russia conflict will undermine its great power ambitions, while maintaining neutrality will not only obtain Russian energy and weapons supplies, but also obtain technology and investment from the United States. As Alan Singh, India's former ambassador to the United States, said, India needs to maintain balance on the "tightrope of the game between great powers" and avoid becoming a vassal of either party.
For India, its policy of strategic autonomy is facing a huge test. Although India is trying to "strike both sides" between the United States and Russia, both countries are increasing their efforts to win over India. The United States promises to help India develop its defense industry, while Russia uses low-cost oil and advanced weapons as bargaining chips.
How to keep a balance between the two camps and maximize its own interests will be the core issue of India's future diplomacy.
“ ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ”
A nuclear war has no winner, and any misjudgment can lead to a global catastrophe. As Russian President Peskov said, all parties should be rigorous in their nuclear speech and avoid actions that escalate tensions.