Military equipment has been pictured in a convoy as it appears to be heading to the frontline by a train connected to a Russian defence division that handles nuclear weapons.
Vladimir Putin has indicated that he is prepared to use nuclear weapons to defend Russia and the tension has been ramped up by his annexation of four regions of Ukraine where heavy fighting is taking place.
The fear is that he could claim an attack on these areas in the east and south of Ukraine would be an assault on Russian territory and so pave the way to using nuclear weapons.
And now a convoy of BPM-97 armoured personnel carriers and other military vehicles have been seen heading through central Russia which have been posted on Telegram by pro-Russian channel Rybar.
The sophisticated machinery that includes mine proof armoury reportedly belongs to the Russian army’s 12th Main Directorate which runs central storage facilities for nuclear weapons.
"This is actually carrying kit belonging to the 12th Main Directorate of the Russian MoD,"
defence analyst Konrad Muzyka.
“The directorate is responsible for nuclear munitions, their storage, maintenance, transport, and issuance to units."
It could mean that nuclear arms are being taken to the front or it could be an attempt by Putin to threaten and intimidate the West.
Mr Muzyka tweeted about the train images: “Does that mean that this video shows preparations for a nuclear release? Not really. There are other more likely explanations.”
He then went on to explain that it could be a message to the West or the military equipment could be used for training purposes.
Following Russia’s withdrawal from a key city of Lyman in the east of Ukraine on Saturday, Chechen leader and Putin ally, Ramzan Kadyrov, suggested the use of low-yield nuclear weapons.
But that was dismissed as a possibility on Monday by the Kremlin.
Ukrainian forces have broken through Russia's defences in the south of the country while expanding their rapid offensive in the east, seizing back more territory in areas annexed by Moscow and threatening supply lines for Russian troops.
Making their biggest breakthrough in the south since the war began, Ukrainian forces recaptured several villages in an advance along the strategic Dnipro River on Monday, Ukrainian officials and a Russian-installed leader in the area said.
