Russia's missile silence: A strategic ambiguity unfolded
During a lengthy briefing broadcast live, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova received a phone call advising her not to comment on reports of an intercontinental ballistic missile attack on Ukraine. She is now clarifying the situation, with experts agreeing that Zakharova delivered a compelling performance.
Zakharova did not turn off the microphones, either forgetting or intentionally leaving them on, when she answered the phone. Although she lowered the volume, it wasn't enough to prevent the microphones from capturing her words. Journalists present and viewers watching the live broadcast on the Foreign Ministry's website heard the spokeswoman receive instructions not to comment on the morning attack on Ukraine.
"Masha" was supposed to remain silent: Zakharova's staged performance
"Masha [Maria], ballistic missile strikes on Yuzhmash [defense plant in Dnipro]. The Westerners are talking about it now. Don’t comment at all," Zakharova was told. Shortly after, she resumed flipping pages and continued with the briefing.
On Thursday, Ukraine’s Air Forces reported that during the morning attack, Russia used an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), launched from Russia's Astrakhan region. Such a missile can carry nuclear payloads and has a range of up to 3,700 miles. The missile landed near the city of Dnipro in southeastern Ukraine.
Caller on a "god-like level"
A representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry told the TASS agency that the call came from a specialist.
Before the briefing, there were questions related to conflicting online materials. I consulted experts to determine if it was our topic. The response came during the briefing—the Foreign Ministry does not comment on it. So there's no intrigue here, stated Zakharova. When "The Insider" asked who this expert was, the official described the caller as "on a god-like level."
Why would Russia make such a significant political move as an ICBM strike and then remain silent? According to Marek Budzisz, a Polish analyst at the Strategy & Future think tank, there's no chance involved in Zakharova's inadvertently recorded phone call.
In such matters, there are no accidents. It's a routine component of nuclear strategy—it involves maintaining so-called strategic ambiguity. The aim is for the opponent to remain uncertain about what exactly happened and what the other side is capable of. This enhances deterrent power, explains the expert. Nuclear issues require each party involved in this escalation to take ambiguous and difficult-to-interpret steps. This way, they build an advantage as an unpredictable entity.
