Escalation Signaling in Ukraine and Its Implications for the Strategic Russia-US Relationship

... can be inflicted through the ‘ application of calibrated damage ’. By placing an increased emphasis on ‘ strategic non-nuclear deterrence ’ since 2014, Russia has raised the threshold for nuclear use. That being said, while some of the Russian ... ... such as UAVs, through ‘tailored combinations of conventional … capabilities, together with the unique deterrent effect of nuclear weapons.’ Further, as noted by the U.S. Congressional Budget Office, the dual capability of hypersonic missiles may pose additional nuclear escalation risks by confusing adversaries about a state’s intentions. In the ...