Seems that once they test the ballistic missile, which should be able to carry nukes, they cannot escalate it any further. The next step would be an actual war, during the Russian winter.The whole situation seems a little strange.
Clearly, with some troop movement and seeing amour pieces carried by rail around Russia a couple of weeks ago, that was escalation, and could also be psychological warfare.
Then there is the west, who bellow that war is imminent, when it may not be. All these shrill warnings from the White House is also psychological warfare.
Here, it seems the situation gets complicated, as who is being psyched out here?
It should be the Germans, they probably the target audience. But, who really knows?
Either way, both sides, Russia and America, playing their gambits for their own ends.