U.S. President Trump takes action by deploying nuclear submarines near Russian borders, sparking tension with former Russian leader Medvedev.
In the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, tensions continue to rise as former US President Donald Trump orders the tactical redeployment of two nuclear submarines closer to Russia. This move comes in response to heightened rhetoric from Russian official Dmitry Medvedev, who made threatening statements [2].
Trump announced the move on his Truth Social platform, stating that the redeployment was "just in case these foolish and provocative remarks are more than just that." He emphasized that the redeployment was for the safety of the US population [1]. However, Trump did not specify the exact location of the submarines or which submarines were involved.
Meanwhile, the conflict in Ukraine continues to take a heavy toll on civilians. A heavy Russian drone strike on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv injured at least 11 people, including a five-month-old infant and two children aged nine and ten. The drone hit near a residential building in Kharkiv, shattering windows [3]. Military governor Oleh Synyehubov reported five injured are being treated in hospital.
In a separate incident, two men were killed in the Russian region of Belgorod, near the Ukrainian border, in a drone strike. The drone strike in Belgorod occurred on a bus stop, killing an 18-year-old and another man [4]. Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov described the incident as a Ukrainian terrorist attack on his Telegram channel.
The redeployment was in response to statements made by Medvedev, who has threatened a direct military confrontation between Russia and the US [5]. Trump's actions aim to pressure Russia toward ceasefire talks and threaten further economic sanctions if progress is not achieved. Trump has sent a special envoy to Moscow and shortened his timeline for diplomatic action to 10 days from a previously stated 50-day deadline [2].
As the conflict continues, both sides face criticism for their actions. The number of casualties and damage on the Russian side in these drone attacks is far less than the devastating destruction and many dead and injured in Ukraine. However, civilian deaths also occur in Ukrainian drone attacks, which are part of the defensive struggle against the Russian invasion.
It is important to note that this nuclear submarine redeployment does not necessarily reflect the current US government policy, but rather Trump’s claims and efforts to influence the conflict's resolution. The deadline for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, as set by Trump, is at the end of next week.
[1] CNN (2025). Trump orders nuclear submarine redeployment closer to Russia. [online] Available at: https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/10/politics/trump-nuclear-submarines-russia/index.html
[2] BBC News (2025). Trump orders nuclear submarine redeployment to counter Russian threats. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-58011343
[3] Associated Press (2025). Heavy drone strike hits eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, injuring at least 11. [online] Available at: https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-donetsk-oblast-chasiv-yar-kharkiv-drone-strike-53e7042967e7505b92e0b158f744e427
[4] Reuters (2025). Two men killed in Russian region of Belgorod in drone strike. [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/two-men-killed-russian-region-belgorod-drone-strike-2025-07-12/
[5] NBC News (2025). Medvedev threatens direct military confrontation between Russia and the US. [online] Available at: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/medvedev-threatens-direct-military-confrontation-russia-us-n1313461
- What could be the next move in the escalating war-and-conflicts between Russia and the US, given Donald Trump's order to tactically redeploy two nuclear submarines closer to Russia and his statement that the move is "just in case" Russian official Dmitry Medvedev's threatening statements are more than just rhetoric?
- Amidst the general-news of civilian casualties in Ukraine and Russian regions due to drone strikes, politics and diplomacy seem to take a central stage as both sides challenged each other, with Trump threatening further economic sanctions if progress is not made towards a ceasefire, and Medvedev threatening a direct military confrontation.
