Wia dis foto come from, Getty Images
Russia President Vladimir Putin don tok say e ready to use nuclear weapons to defend Russian territory, raising di fear say e fit use a small, or "tactical" nuclear weapon for Ukraine.
US President Joe Biden don draw ear give am say dat fit be di most serious military escalation since World War II.
Wetin be tactical nuclear weapons?
Tactical nuclear weapons na mall nuclear warheads and delivery systems wey dey intended for use on di battlefield, or for limited strike.
Dem design dem to destroy enemy targets specific area without causing widespread radioactive fallout.
Di smallest tactical nuclear weapons fit be one kiloton or less (producing di equivalent to one thousand tonnes of di explosive TNT). Di largest ones fit be as big as 100 kilotons.
Strategic nuclear weapons dey larger (up to 1,000 kilotons) and dey launched from longer range.
By comparison, di atomic bomb wey di US drop on Hiroshima for 1945 na 15 kilotons.
What tactical nuclear weapons Russia get?
Im tactical nuclear warheads fit be placed on various types of missiles which dey normally used to deliver conventional explosives, such as cruise missiles and artillery shells.
Dem also fit fire tactical nuclear weapons from aircraft and ships - as anti-ship missiles, torpedoes and depth charges.
Di US say Russia recently bin dey invest heavily in dis weapons to improve dia range and accuracy.
Dem don ever use nuclear weapons before?
Dem never use tactical nuclear weapons for conflict.
Nuclear powers such as di US and Russia don find am equally effective to destroy targets on di battlefield by using modern conventional munitions.
In addition, no nuclear-armed kontri so far don dey willing to risk unleashing all-out nuclear war by employing tactical nuclear weapons.
However, Russia fit dey more willing to use smaller tactical weapons dan larger strategic missiles.
"Dem fit no see am as crossing dis big nuclear threshold," say Dr Patricia Lewis, head of di international security programme at di Chatham House think tank.
"Dem fit see am as part of dia conventional forces."
Wia dis foto come from, Getty Images
Putin nuclear threats na real cause to worry?
For February 2022, shortly before e invade Ukraine, President Putin place Russia nuclear forces at "special combat readiness" and hold high-profile nuclear drills.
More recently, e say: "If di territorial integrity of our kontri dey threatened, we go without a doubt use all available means to protect Russia and our pipo. Dis no be bluff."
Russia dey plan to annex di regions of southern and eastern Ukraine wey e occupy after holding self-styled referendums. President Putin say e dey ready to defend di "territorial integrity" of di regions "by all means."
US intelligence see dis as threat to di West not to help Ukraine try and retake dis territories, rather dan as sign say e dey plan nuclear war.
But others worry say Russia, if e suffer further setbacks, fit dey tempted to use smaller tactical weapon for Ukraine as "game changer", to break stalemate or avoid defeat.
James Acton, one nuclear expert for di Carnegie Endowment for International Pace in Washington DC, says: "I dey legitimately worried say for dat circumstance, Putin fit use nuclear weapon - most likely on di ground for Ukraine to terrify everyone and get im way. We never reach dat point yet."
How di US don respond?
US President Joe Biden don draw ear for Russia not to use nuclear weapons for di war in Ukraine.
Speaking during one interview with CBS News, Oga Biden say such action go "change di face of war unlike anything since World War Two," adding: "E go dey consequential."
How di US and Nato go respond to any nuclear use dey hard to predict. Dem fit wan escalate di situation further and risk all-out nuclear war but dem also fit wan to draw a line.
However, Russia also fit dey deterred from using tactical nuclear weapons by another power - China.
"Russia dey heavily dependent on Chinese support," tok Dr Heather Williams, nuclear expert for Kings College London.
"But China get 'no first use' nuclear doctrine. So if Putin use am, e go incredibly difficult for China to stand by am.
"If e used dem, e go probably lose China."
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