President Donald Trump ordered two nuclear submarines to be deployed “in the appropriate regions” in response to what he considered “highly provocative statements” from Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chair of Russia’s security council. Trump made the announcement in a Truth Social post on Friday, Aug. 1, although he did not indicate where the submarines would be heading or what capabilities the submersibles have.
Trump’s statement
“Based on the highly provocative statements from Former President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, who is now the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, I have ordered two Nuclear submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that,” Trump wrote.
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“Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances,” Trump added.
Medvedev’s ‘provocative statements’
Medvedev recently responded on social media about Trump’s deadline for Moscow to come to a ceasefire deal with Kyiv or endure harsh sanctions.
“Trump’s playing the ultimatum game with Russia: 50 days or 10… He should remember 2 things: 1. Russia isn’t Israel or even Iran. 2. Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country. Don’t go down the Sleepy Joe Road,” Medvedev wrote earlier this week on X.
Context
Trump pledged at the beginning of this week that he would be changing the timeline for Russia to agree to a ceasefire or face sanctions from 50 days to just 10 days.
“I want to be generous, but we don’t see progress being made,” Trump said Monday. “I’m not so interested in talking anymore.”
Trump has vented over Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ongoing war in Ukraine and lack of willingness to come to the negotiating table. Moscow ramped up attacks in Ukraine– launching a record 6,443 drones into the country in July 2025, according to ABC News’ count.
Mounting Russian losses in Ukraine
The fresh tension between the U.S. and Russia comes as Moscow’s losses on the battlefield mount. According to the Center for Strategic & International Studies, between February 2022 and May 2025, Moscow has seen up to five times the number of deaths in Ukraine as all its Russian and Soviet wars combined since WWII. CSIS reports that none of the Russian or Soviet years of war since WWII have even approached the fatality rate Moscow forces are suffering in Ukraine. The British Ministry of Defence reported that more than one million Russian soldiers have been killed or injured since the war in Ukraine began.
