Putin's ultimatums to Britain and NATO reveal bravado, not power

Analysts say Putin’s threats to the UK and NATO over Ukraine are a display of posturing aimed at deterring Western support for Kyiv rather than a credible plan for direct military action; Moscow’s threat calculus suggests it would avoid a kinetic clash with NATO, instead leaning toward hybrid attacks (cyber, proxies, diplomatic pressure). Experts, including Katia Glod, note Russia’s credibility to back up threats is waning, and the UK remains concerned about air-defence gaps, making a direct attack unlikely but keeping Western resolve on high alert.