Why is Trump moving nuclear submarines after spat with Medvedev?

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Donald Trump has ordered the repositioning of two United States atomic submarines to “appropriate regions” comparative to Russia, arsenic the US president grows frustrated implicit stalling peace talks aimed astatine bringing an extremity to Russia’s warfare successful Ukraine.

On Friday, Trump exchanged heated words with Dmitry Medvedev, Moscow’s subject person and erstwhile president.

The time before, Trump had issued an ultimatum to Russia: If it does not hold to a ceasefire by adjacent Friday, August 8, helium volition enforce a bundle of economic sanctions.

The adjacent day, Medvedev posted connected societal media, describing Trump’s menace arsenic “a measurement towards war”. He wrote that Trump was “playing the ultimatum crippled with Russia”.

In a station connected Truth Social, Trump responded: “Words are precise important, and tin often pb to unintended consequences, I anticipation this volition not beryllium 1 of those instances.”

What has Trump done?

On Friday, Trump wrote connected his Truth Social level that helium had ordered 2 US “Nuclear Submarines” to beryllium repositioned to “appropriate regions”.

Trump cited what helium regarded arsenic threatening comments made by erstwhile Russian President  Medvedev, present lawman seat of Russia’s Security Council. He called Medvedev’s statements “highly provocative”, adding that his actions were a precaution.

“I person ordered 2 Nuclear Submarines to beryllium positioned successful the due regions, conscionable successful lawsuit these foolish and inflammatory statements are much than conscionable that,” Trump wrote.

In the run-up to his statesmanlike campaign, Trump promised to extremity Russia’s warfare successful Ukraine wrong 24 hours; however, respective discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin person since not yielded immoderate results.

What bash we cognize astir the submarines Trump says helium volition reposition?

Not overmuch – and we bash not cognize which submarines Trump is referring to. Trump did not accidental if helium had ordered the repositioning of submarines with atomic engines oregon submarines carrying atomic missiles.

Trump did not uncover the determination of the submarines, either, arsenic mandated by US subject protocol.

However, Trump’s connection is truthful acold being viewed arsenic a rhetorical threat, alternatively than a subject one, arsenic information analysts noted that the US already has nuclear-powered submarines that are deployed and susceptible of striking Russia arsenic a deterrent.

What prompted Trump’s submarine move?

Mostly, his vexation implicit the deficiency of advancement of bid talks betwixt Russia and Ukraine. But, successful this case, the societal media spat with Medvedev seems to person tipped him implicit into action.

Trump and the Russian subject person person been engaged successful mud-slinging connected societal media platforms for immoderate time.

Earlier, responding to Trump’s caller deadline for a ceasefire successful Ukraine, Medvedev wrote successful a station connected X that Trump was playing an “ultimatum game” with Russia.

“Each caller ultimatum is simply a menace and a measurement towards war. Not betwixt Russia and Ukraine, but with his ain country. Don’t spell down the Sleepy Joe road!” Medvedev had said.

Earlier successful the week, portion announcing trade tariffs for India – on with an other punishment for buying Russian lipid – Trump stated that helium did not attraction if India and Russia “take their dormant economies down together”.

In a Telegram station connected Thursday, Medvedev wrote that Trump should “revisit his favourite movies astir the surviving dormant and callback conscionable however unsafe the mythical ‘Dead Hand’ tin be”.

Russia’s “Dead Hand system” is simply a Cold War-era automatic atomic retaliation mechanics designed to motorboat a counterstrike adjacent if the Russian enactment is wiped retired successful a archetypal strike.

Trump replied: “Tell Medvedev, the failed erstwhile President of Russia, who thinks he’s inactive President, to ticker his words. He’s entering precise unsafe territory!”

Speaking to reporters aft his station astir the atomic submarines, Trump said connected Friday: “We conscionable person to beryllium careful. And a menace was made and we didn’t deliberation it was appropriate, truthful I person to beryllium precise careful.

“A menace was made by a erstwhile president of Russia, and we’re going to support our people.”

Who has much atomic power: Russia oregon the US?

Combined, the US and Russia relationship for astir 87 percent of the world’s full atomic arsenal. The geopolitical rivals power astir 83 percent of the atomic warheads really deployed oregon acceptable for operational use.

Despite important post-Cold War reductions, planetary atomic arsenals stay astatine a “very precocious level”, according to a study by the Federation of American Scientists. As of January 2025, conscionable 9 countries are estimated to person a full of astir 12,241 atomic warheads.

Today, according to the nonprofit Arms Control Association, the US deploys 1,419 and Russia deploys 1,549 strategical warheads connected respective 100 bombers and missiles.

The US conducted its archetypal atomic trial detonation successful July 1945; the pursuing month, it dropped 2 atomic bombs connected the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Four years later, the Soviet Union conducted its archetypal atomic trial explosion.

As of 2025, the US Navy operates 71 submarines, each nuclear‑powered, making it the largest undersea force. This fleet includes 14 Ohio‑class ballistic rocket subs (SSBNs), 4 Ohio‑class converted guided‑missile submarines (SSGNs) loaded with Tomahawk missiles for strikes oregon peculiar operations, and astir 53 fast‑attack submarines designed for quality gathering, anti‑submarine warfare and cruise‑missile support.

By comparison, the Russian Navy fields less than 30 nuclear‑powered submarines, including astir 10 strategical SSBNs, a premix of modern Borei and older Delta IV classes, that transportation Bulava missiles.

It besides operates respective strategic‑missile cruise boats and astir six Akula‑class onslaught submarines equipped for anti‑ship and multi‑role missions. Russia is investing successful modern fleet enlargement done the Yasen‑M class.

Has Russia responded to Trump’s submarine manoeuvre?

No. Neither the Kremlin nor Medvedev has publically responded to Trump’s bid to determination 2 atomic submarines pursuing their warfare of words.

Viktor Vodolatsky, a elder Russian lawmaker and lawman president of the State Duma’s committee connected Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) affairs, however, stated that Russia possesses “significantly much atomic submarines successful the world’s oceans” than the US, claiming US subs person “long been nether their control” and, therefore, nary circumstantial effect is required.

Last month, the US President said helium was “disappointed” with Putin.

“We’ll person a large conversation. I’ll say: ‘That’s good, I’ll deliberation we’re adjacent to getting it done,’ and past he’ll sound down a gathering successful Kyiv,” helium told the BBC successful an interview.

On Friday, successful an evident notation to Trump’s comment, Putin said: “As for immoderate disappointments connected the portion of anyone, each disappointments originate from inflated expectations. This is simply a well-known wide rule.”

On a ceasefire with Kyiv, Putin said helium wants a “lasting and unchangeable peace” successful Ukraine; however, helium has not fixed immoderate denotation that Russia is consenting to execute it immoderate quicker.

In 2017, during his archetypal word arsenic US president, Trump announced that helium had sent 2 atomic submarines to the Korean peninsula. Soon afterwards, helium held a gathering with the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un.

Whether this latest determination volition pb to a caller gathering with Putin is yet to beryllium seen, however.

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