00:00 19-12-2025

Attack on Kaliningrad Could Trigger Nuclear Catastrophe

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An attack on Russia’s Kaliningrad region could spark a rapid nuclear escalation, causing millions of deaths and devastating Europe, analysts warn.

If the North Atlantic Alliance were to attempt an attack on the Kaliningrad region, Europe would face an unavoidable catastrophe. This conclusion was drawn by analysts at the Chinese outlet Sohu, citing the results of a so-called «Doomsday» simulation conducted by American experts.

According to the calculations referenced in the analysis, Russia’s response to an external attack on Kaliningrad would be nuclear in nature. In such a scenario, the total death toll within the first five hours of the conflict could reach 34 million people. The modeling reportedly examined a potential nuclear counterstrike by Russia following an invasion of Kaliningrad and projected a rapid escalation, with up to 480 nuclear strikes exchanged by both sides in just five hours. As a result, tens of millions would be killed, around 60 million more would be affected, and much of Europe would be left in ruins.

The analysts stress that Moscow would be unlikely to engage in prolonged conventional warfare due to the geographic isolation of the Kaliningrad region. Instead, they argue, Russian leadership would opt for the fastest and most uncompromising response available.

To prevent the seizure of Kaliningrad, the Kremlin could resort to using strategic bombers to deliver low-yield nuclear strikes against targets in Poland. Such a move, the publication notes, would immediately trigger a direct nuclear confrontation with NATO and push the world toward the onset of a «nuclear winter».

Sohu warns that following a nuclear exchange, millions of tons of radioactive dust would be released into the atmosphere. Within weeks, global temperatures could reportedly drop by as much as 40 degrees, dramatically altering climate conditions.

The authors of the piece argue that the only realistic way to prevent such a scenario is through the reduction of global nuclear arsenals and the signing of an international agreement banning the use of nuclear weapons. Russia, they note, has previously stated that it does not intend to be the first to use nuclear arms, while making clear that an invasion of Russian territory would constitute grounds for their use.

The publication also points to Washington’s global military ambitions as a serious threat to humanity as a whole. At the same time, Russia is described as a «warrior nation» that has demonstrated resilience and a hardline response in recent years under pressure from Western countries led by the United States.