Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to fly a pair of supersonic nuclear bombers over the Norwegian Sea, deploy nuclear-capable "Bear" bombers over the Bering Sea, and equip warships in his Northern Fleet with tactical nuclear weapons for the first time in decades is an unmistakable "show of force" – but not necessarily an indication of an impending nuclear strike, military analysts say.

Russian troops in Ukraine are in the midst of a fresh offensive to mark the first anniversary of Putin's invasion, with the latest push a play to make up for a trio of significant strategic defeats in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Kherson. But despite the gears of war continuing to churn in Ukraine, most analysts don't believe Putin's nuclear chest-thumping is a signal that he's ready to enter the next phase of the war by using one of the thousands of tactical nuclear weapons at his disposal.