Let’s summarize Putin’s speech of today:

• The West deceived and betrayed the Russians and they now see them for what they are: an implacable foe. (translation: we are in a new cold war)
• The Russians are not at war with the Ukrainian people, who are victims and hostages of the West-sponsored evil Nazi horde. (translation: Ukraine will be liberated and given the option of joining the Russian Federation)
• There is an information war against Russia, and all kinds of subversion and foreign agents will be dealt with. (translation: If you want to be pro-Western, Russia is not the place where this is an option. This is a war and siding with the enemy will not be tolerated.)
• “The goal of the West is to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, to end us once and for all. We will respond accordingly, because we are talking about the existence of our country.” (translation: this is the key wording that authorises use of nuclear weapons according to the Russian nuclear doctrine)
• Military will become more meritocratic; the successful soldiers and officers will be promoted.
• Those who proved their patriotism in war will be elevated to higher functions in Russia.
• There will be a significant allocation of funds towards the social programmes directed at the families of military casualties.
• The Russians who escaped to the West with their money, thinking the West is a “safe haven”, made their choice, and nobody in Russia cares about them now that the West betrayed and robbed them. Serve them right. (translation: “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” Mt 12:30)
• The latest ground-based missile systems have been put on combat duty a week ago.
• Russia suspends its participation in START. (translation: Sarmat is online and contains more hypersonic MIRV units than START would allow)
• Russia is ready to suspend its participation in the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. (translation: the Americans are preparing low-yield nuke tests and this is the response)
• Defence ministry and Rosatom must ensure readiness for nuclear weapons testing. (translation: you obviously need to learn that our nukes still work and that they are a thing that exists in order to be used)

This stops somewhat short of a declaration of war to the West, but we are now officially back in the cold war, and I don’t mean the détente, I mean the 1950s. No more “our Western partners”, no more trust. The key formulation that puts nukes on the table was used. All nuclear treaties are defunct.