Russian nationalist hardliners are urging President Vladimir Putin to abandon diplomatic efforts and intensify the war in Ukraine following a series of Ukrainian drone strikes that have increased pressure on the Kremlin.
Calls for a tougher response have existed throughout the conflict, with nationalist figures previously demanding measures including full military mobilisation, attacks on Ukraine’s leadership, strikes on European drone facilities and, in some cases, consideration of tactical nuclear weapons.
The demands have grown louder after Ukrainian strikes this month targeted Moscow, St. Petersburg and Crimea. Russia has also accused Ukraine of carrying out two deadly attacks on passenger buses, further fueling calls among hardliners for retaliation.
Analysts said the increasingly aggressive rhetoric reflects concerns among Russian nationalists about the effectiveness and reach of Ukrainian drone operations and a broader debate over how Russia can defend its territory while continuing its military campaign, which began in 2022.
Konstantin Malofeyev, a nationalist businessman, criticized the government’s response after a Ukrainian strike caused a fire at a Moscow oil refinery last week. He questioned why Russia had not used all available military options, including nuclear weapons, in response to attacks.
Some nationalist commentators have called for Moscow to end U.S.-brokered peace discussions and pursue the destruction of the Ukrainian state. Others have argued that Russia should adopt strategies they associate with Iran’s confrontation with the United States.
The nationalist blog Obsessed by War, which has more than 650,000 followers, has called for bombing major Ukrainian cities to make them uninhabitable. Blogger Yuri Baranchik, who has nearly 90,000 followers, blamed Washington for allowing Ukrainian strikes and said Russia faced a choice between defeating U.S. influence or being defeated by it.
Sources close to the Kremlin said Putin can tolerate nationalist criticism because he controls a highly centralized political system. However, analysts said such rhetoric could complicate government decision-making by increasing public expectations for a wider military campaign.
The Kremlin has so far resisted calls from hardliners to abandon negotiations. Three senior Russian officials said this week that discussions with the United States had stalled and accused Washington of failing to follow through on peace proposals discussed during last year’s Putin-Trump summit in Alaska.
Putin has also avoided supporting the most extreme proposals from nationalist groups. However, Russia’s Defence Ministry in April published the locations of factories in several European countries that it accused of producing drones for Ukraine, a move that appeared to serve as a warning that such facilities could become targets.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry also indicated a possible escalation last month when it announced plans for “systematic strikes” against military targets in Kyiv. Russia later carried out heavier bombing campaigns, including one strike that damaged a 1,000-year-old monastery in the Ukrainian capital.
Despite pressure from nationalist voices, Putin has continued to support the current military strategy. Speaking to military academy graduates on Tuesday, he said Russian forces were close to capturing the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostyantynivka as part of efforts to gain control over the Donbas region.
Putin also said political forces in Europe that favor improved relations with Russia were gaining strength. He said those seeking to restore ties with Moscow and end what he described as efforts to weaken Russia would eventually succeed.
