• A senior Russian lawmaker, Alexey Zhuravlyov, warned that Moscow could station nuclear-capable missiles in Cuba and Venezuela, deliberately escalating tensions with the U.S. and invoking Cold War-era brinkmanship.

• Putin showcased advanced nuclear weapons tests (Poseidon underwater drone, Burevestnik cruise missile), prompting Trump to order the U.S. to resume nuclear testing "on an equal basis" with Russia, signaling a renewed arms race.

• Putin proposed a dubious "ceasefire" near Pokrovsk and Kupyansk, falsely claiming Ukrainian encirclement—a propaganda ploy to frame Ukraine as unwilling to negotiate. Meanwhile, Russian forces advance while violating international law (e.g., disguising troops as civilians).

• U.S. intelligence confirms Putin is doubling down on total victory in Ukraine, rejecting compromises. Kremlin officials amplify Soviet-style nationalist rhetoric, equating dissent with treason and hinting at further mobilization.

• While analysts dismiss Russia's nuclear threats as performative (given NATO's nuclear triad), Putin's brinkmanship aims to fracture Western unity over Ukraine. The Biden-Trump divide on handling Russia underscores the high-stakes geopolitical standoff.

A senior Russian lawmaker has escalated Cold War-era tensions by threatening to station nuclear-capable missiles in Cuba and Venezuela, directly challenging the U.S. amid deteriorating relations.

Alexey Zhuravlyov, Deputy Chairperson of the Russian State Duma Defense Committee, declared on Wednesday, Oct. 29, that Moscow could deploy missile systems "to Venezuela or Cuba," citing their proximity to the U.S. as a strategic advantage. "The U.S. is not a friend or partner – it is an enemy," Zhuravlyov stated, invoking memories of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, when the world stood on the brink of nuclear war.