Sergey Mikheev is a Russian political scientist whom the Washington Free Beacon identifies as a “Putin loyalist,” and since he was recently featured on the state-owned Russia-1 television channel, there is no doubt that he is. That makes what he said during his TV hit on March 20 all the more serious: Mikheev said that if NATO moves into Ukraine, “This would mean nuclear war. Yes!” That’s right; he sounded quite excited at the prospect.
Vladimir Putin himself suggested that the nuclear option was on the table back on Feb. 24, when he announced the Ukraine invasion and declared, “Whoever tries to hinder us, or threaten our country or our people, should know that Russia’s response will be immediate and will lead you to consequences that you have never faced in your history.”
Three days after that, on Feb. 27, Putin ordered Russia’s nuclear forces to be put on high alert. “Western countries aren’t only taking unfriendly economic actions against our country,” Putin said, “but leaders of major NATO countries are making aggressive statements about our country. So, I order to move Russia’s deterrence forces to a special regime of combat duty.”
The following day, however, Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzya, allayed fears somewhat when he said, “On the use of nuclear weapons, God forbid it.” In placing the nuclear arsenal on high alert, Nebenzya said, Russia was engaging in “a kind of deterrence.”
Sergey Mikheev, however, struck a sharply different tone, saying: “We need to convey a simple message to Europe: You will receive a nuclear strike in European territory if you form some sort of a NATO peacekeeping contingent, if you decide to deploy this contingent somewhere and so forth … This would mean nuclear war. Yes! Nuclear war.”
Mikheev seemed eager to spell out exactly what this would mean, saying that Europe “must understand this. [I say] to the brave Poles: In half a second, there will be nothing left of your Warsaw. And the brave Germans, brave Estonians, brave people of the Balts … By the way, speaking about the Balts, as far as I know, there are big problems at the border in Kaliningrad. Maybe the question of a corridor to Kaliningrad becomes relevant? A corridor, a land corridor to Kaliningrad. Why not?”
Kaliningrad is the ancient German city of Königsberg, annexed by the Soviet Union after World War II and separated from the great land mass of Russia when the Soviet Union dissolved and Lithuania and Belarus became independent. A land corridor from Russia proper to Kaliningrad would necessarily involve territorial concessions from Lithuania, which joined NATO in 2004. So in practically the same breath, Mikheev was warning NATO against sending a “peacekeeping contingent” into Ukraine, as well as suggesting that a NATO member state should be forced to cede territory to Russia.
Related: Sure, Putin Would Use His Nukes. Why Wouldn’t He?
But Mikheev was in no mood to be evenhanded, much less conciliatory. “It seems to me,” he raged on, “that the states called Lithuania and Poland are behaving too brazenly. Too brazenly! And they also don’t understand that they can actually be dealt with faster than Ukraine. Because the issue of the corridor is a local military operation, it’s much easier than everything we are doing in Ukraine.”
World War II began as Hitler was demanding that the Polish Corridor, the narrow strip that was Poland’s sole outlet to the sea at that time, be ceded to Germany. Will World War III begin with Russia making demands for its own corridor in Eastern Europe, involving territorial concessions from NATO member states?
If he were at all interested in lowering tensions at this point, Vladimir Putin would repudiate Mikheev’s rant and reiterate what Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday, that Russia was not going to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine and would only use them if Russia faced a “threat for existence.” Peskov stated that “no one is thinking about … using a nuclear weapon,” and that the war in Ukraine had “nothing to do with” the threat to Russia’s very existence that would call for the use of nukes.
Mikheev’s statements on Russia-1 TV couldn’t possibly stand in sharper contrast to Peskov’s words. Mikheev seemed almost gleeful at the prospect of nuclear war and unhesitatingly issued all manner of threats to neighboring NATO states. But no clarification is likely to come from the Kremlin, as Putin is just as uninterested in calming the situation as Old Joe Biden is. Are all these threats and bravado going to land us in World War III? The possibility of that has never been greater.
Westman says
From positions of comfort and wealth, invested with scant knowledge, a small number of humans are deciding the future of the human species.
No one really knows the final outcome of nuclear war. It has been modeled many ways, all of them full of assumptions that are not verified by actual nuclear war. Would there really be Nuclear Winter? Would the next war be with sticks and stones as Einstein predicted? Would there be scattered attacks follower by agreements for peace or a huge exchange by beligerants-to-the-end? Would the “victor” be determined by nuclear-armed submarines after the land-based munitions were exhausted? Would most of humanity die from starvation without its, fragile, Just-In-Time, production and distribution systems?
No one who sends off a nuclear barrage will know precisely what they are doing, causing, or how it will end. Looking back to how Japan, a nation without fuel resources, responded to being blockaded during WWII with an “unprovoked” attack on Pearl Harbor – the lesson might be that even a group of highly educated people will make irrational decisions under pressure.
There is historical rhyming in play with the attempt to corner Russia with the economic equivalent of a blockade; the difference being this blockade hurts every nation that, directly or indirectly, relies on Russian food and energy. The logic seems to be, “Give up Ukraine, Ivan, or I’ll shoot us both in the other foot!”
And to make matters worse, the Biden admin is increasing tax collections for States and Cities with inflation and limiting fuel production. How is this taxation? Look at your utility bills and note all the add-on “sales” taxes that are a percentage of the base amount of the bill. Look at the tax percentage on the last grocery bill. These “sales” taxes are percentages and the amounts they “scrape” from your wallet increase by the same percentage as the inflation in price.
somehistory says
Some, from the field of “experts,” have long said that an EMT could ,and might be, put into the space above the U.S. It would stop all means of energy, which would lead to the death of the millions of people living here and make for an easy takeover of the land. The scenario could be from iran, china or russia….all nations intent on conquering their largest, and richest, foe.
there would be no “like” or “in kind” response from biden or paski of any other fool playing at being “in charge.”
Westman says
An EMP (electromagnetic pulse) from an altitude detonation does present a serious problem for the electricity grid and microelectronics. The giant step-up transformers at power stations and sub-stations could take years to replace or repair if damaged. Most of the giant transformers could survive if disconnected(lights out) from external wiring BEFORE the detonations. The damaging energy is induced into the external grid system transmission lines and flows into the transformers. For the same reason, household electronics and motors will be damaged.
Newer cars would stop running as integrated electronics are damaged by overloads, again, by currents induced into the vehicle wiring. Antique autos would still run. Older diesel engines, not relying on electronic control of injectors, could be started after simplifying. Small simple gas generators(no electronics), not connected to anything during nuclear detonations, would likely survive. Of course, there would be no new fuel available for some time.
Truckers would suddenly become more important than Justin Trudeau.
somehistory says
biden and his henchmen probably wouldn’t be given a heads-up before it was launched, so everything would stay connected and fry.
we all need some matches…for cook fires. Wind up devices, and windmills powering water wells.
so many things are all connected and only work when it all works.
Westman says
“so many things are all connected and only work when it all works.”
How right you are, SomeHistory. Even more than we know.
Our economy was grown slowly, over hundreds of years, based on efficiency, like a 100 million piece puzzle. No one knows all the pieces and the “experts” only know about the pieces of their discipline. Along comes a tornado and in minutes scatters the pieces. How long will it take to reassemble? With or without food?
somehistory says
So very true, Westman.
In 2004-2005 in Florida, so many hurricanes hit and so many buildings were damaged, roofers were still busy repairing years later. I can still recall seeing an incredible number of blue tarps on houses for the longest time.
and, the tornado illustration in your comment is very apt. My family once put large jigsaw puzzles together, taking many days to complete. It was so easy to lose a piece, and when that happens, it never gets finished. Some towns never get rebuilt after a tornado tears them apart, and when they do, it takes years. Just imagine doing that without all of the equipment used these days. And in every city.
Kesselman says
Irresponsible leaders are a fact. With Putin raging in Kremlin and Brandon half-sleeping in the WH things seem gloomy. Both sides different take untold haven’t the capacities to change matters. Vlad Putin only listens to himself and Brandon’s handlers or wardens are too stupid to act intelligibly.—So, what’s left to do? Regime change is an option. Putin could fall for a bullet and Joey could fall down the ladder of his Air Force One.
Kesselman says
I forgot to mention NATO’s Secretary-General, the Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg. Nobody understands his broken English uttered with a distinct Norwegian accent. This alone could cause grave misunderstandings.
Hank says
The Russian political scientist should consider that a nuclear war will also affect Russia in the same way and stop getting excited about it. Already now Russian troops are glowing in the dark, panicking, and hastily leaving Chernobyl.
–
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfnBEwlUXbk
Countries around Russia have experienced a similar experience as Ukraine is doing today. Manufactured separatists with claims of wanting to hold referendums of independence and asking Putin to send troops. Borders changed, countries split East-West or North-South, and big swats of neighboring countries annexed.
https://twitter.com/abwwoood/status/1503365360124317704
Many of these countries resent this such as Georgia, et al. Putin may just have opened up a “Russian Buffet” where all the surrounding nations want their annexed territories back. Maybe an East and West Russia is in the horizon with Mongolia in the middle, a taste of their own strategy. Thanks to Putin.
Westman says
According to Elizabeth Truss, the UK Foreign Secretary Of State, dripping with British Ego in India, the object of her governments efforts is to cause “Putin to lose in Ukraine”. That is quite different from getting a peace agreement and is another expectation of pulling the USA into a direct war with Russia.
The Indian Minister Of External Affairs, Dr. Jaishankar, responded to her demand that India stop buying gas from Russia, revealing that Europe actually increased its Russian gas purchases by 15% in the last month and a poor country like India must find the best prices of energy.
Message – We’re not your colony anymore. Go home and take your ego with you. We will do what is best for the needs of our people.
Infidel says
India gets 1% of its oil from Russia. 8% from the US. The highest it gets from anybody is 23% from Iraq
The US deputy National Security Advisor for International Economics – someone named Duleep Singh – tried to blackmail India and was rebuffed
https://www.opindia.com/2022/04/daleep-singh-biden-economic-advisor-threatens-india-s-jaishankar-west-hypocrisy
Threatening India for buying oil was one thing, but what took the cake was him warning India against undermining the dollar based financial system i.e. looking at not using the dollar as a reserve currency. Actually, given what the US had been doing, it only makes sense that other countries – friends or foes – would look at getting off the US dollar as a reserve currency. And it’s not like the US is now in a position to replace Russian oil for anybody – be it Europe or India, after the way we’ve shut down all that production
I do credit him for one thing – noticing that other countries have stopped transacting oil in dollars, which would pretty much kill the petrodollar. And that needs to happen, b’cos congress and this president can’t stop spending money like they just won the lotto
Infidel says
After the way Russia has struggled w/ just Ukraine, I’d be the last one to threaten anyone else if I were them. They look worse than a paper tiger – it’s over a month now and they still haven’t conquered that country. If anything, the Ukrainians have taken back territory and the Russians are busy re-positioning their troops
If 1991 exposed Saudi Arabia as a paper tiger that was helpless against Iraq and today needs allies against not even all of Yemen, but just the Houthis, this war showed that Russia is way overrated as a superpower. If permanent membership of the security council was based on military power, the only 2 such members should be the US and China. Just drop Russia, France and Britain
Westman says
I could be wrong, Infidel, for thinking, based on Zelensky’s latest pleas that Ukraine is on the verge of social and economic collapse. It may be that arming Ukraine extended the damage and loss of life while still arriving at the same outcome. No conflict can outrun time, so we’ll eventually know. Hope I’m wrong.
gravenimage says
Right now Russia controls just 7% of Ukrainian territory. Of course I realize that things can change fast.
Infidel says
I do think that a helicopter attack on a Russian oil depot in Belgorod – just across the border from Kharkiv – could well have been a Ukrainian attack. I don’t know why the Ukrainians would be denying it – it’s not like they’re not at war w/ Russia, and given that fact, Russia is as legitimate a battlefield for this war as Ukraine is
I do think the war has improved Ukraine’s outlook in that whereas w/o any war, Ukraine would simply be a corrupt mess. However, since Ukraine has been promised reconstruction aid by the entire West, whatever liabilities they already had might be erased as a result of all that destruction. Obviously, I’m not implying that Ukraine planned this attack on themselves by Russia, but they do look like they have the most to gain once this war is over
Not just that, once this is over, Ukraine will successfully be admitted not just into the EU but also into NATO: they have successfully fought off the Russians, and once they’re in NATO, Russia won’t dare attack them any more than they’d attack Latvia. In fact, Russia’s military power would have been proven to be totally hollow, given that they had to not only pull troops from reserves elsewhere in the country, but also look to Belarus and Syria for support. General Suvorov would be rolling in his grave
gravenimage says
Infidel, are you claiming that the Ukraine *wanted* to be invaded and have her people murdered? Gross calumny.
Besides, the assumption that Ukraine will win against the much greater forces of Russia is anything but a sure thing.
James Lincoln says
gravenimage,
With respect, I had a different take on Infidel’s post:
“Obviously, I’m not implying that Ukraine planned this attack on themselves by Russia, but they do look like they have the most to gain once this war is over”
A lot of uncertainties, but this could be one plausible outcome.
Ukraine did not *want* to be invaded – but they were anyway.
Infidel says
Graven
Nowadays, you have a tendency to put words in my mouth. Where did I claim that Ukraine wanted to be invaded? I just claimed that as a part of the rule of unintended consequences, Ukraine would stand to gain as a result of this invasion. But it by no means implies that they wanted to have their citizens killed: just that the outcome of it would be having their debt wiped out, as well as probable admissions to EU and NATO
Given how Russia has to bring in more troops, I think it very unlikely that they will win this war. Right now, I do think that they are looking for an off-ramp, and that Biden is unwilling to give it to them due to his own personal hatred of Putin. Even if that means that obduracy will result in more Ukrainians being killed
gravenimage says
Infidel, I did not put words in your mouth–I asked you a question.
Certainly, it is possible that Ukraine might come out of this with a higher moral profile.
But there will also be a lot of dead Ukrainians even in the best case scenario. Not so good for them… And reports are that large parts of a slew of major cities have been destroyed–also not so good.
It is also quite possible that Ukraine will lose much of her land to Russia, especially the eastern part of the country–worst case scenario, she will be entirely conquored. It is impressive that the Ukrainians have defended as successfully as they have–but Russia is still the greater force.
gravenimage says
Putin Loyalist: If NATO Force Deploys in Ukraine, It’s Nuclear War
…………….
Insane saber rattling.