Retired Colonel Mikhail Khodarenok outlined a potential three-stage response by Russia to any deep-strike attacks from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which may include the use of nuclear weapons.
The first stage would target weapons production facilities supplying Ukraine that are located in NATO countries, using long-range cruise missiles.
The second stage, according to Khodarenok, could involve single or group missile launches with nuclear warheads.
“This may include high-altitude nuclear detonations over enemy territory, or strikes on uninhabited oceanic or land areas. The yield could be small or large, depending on the situation,” he told Gazeta.Ru.
The third stage might see Russia carrying out a tactical nuclear strike on government buildings in Kyiv and using nuclear weapons to destroy sections of the Dnipro hydroelectric cascade and reservoirs.
“Let them think about it,” — Vladimir Putin said October 23 warning of a “serious, if not stunning” response to potential Tomahawk strikes on Russian territory.
President Putin previously emphasized that dialogue remains preferable to confrontation or war, even as he warned of the possibility of an overwhelming response to attacks from the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
