During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the possibility of Russia using tactical nuclear weapons, and the risk of broader nuclear escalation, has been widely discussed by commentators and in the media. Several senior Russian politicians, including president Vladimir Putin and foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, have made a number of statements widely seen as threatening the use of nuclear weapons. Additionally, the Russian occupation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has led to a crisis over the safety of the plant and the risk of a nuclear disaster.