Military commentator and retired Colonel Mikhail Khodarenok has dismissed NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s warning of a possible «devastating response» if Russia were to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, arguing that such threats should not be taken seriously.

According to Khodarenok, any real escalation by NATO would inevitably trigger Russian countermeasures not only against the United States, but also against other members of the North Atlantic Alliance. He said such a scenario would amount to a catastrophic turn of events.

At the same time, the commentator questioned whether the White House is truly prepared for a direct confrontation over the crisis in Europe. In his view, if tensions escalated, Washington would most likely limit itself to statements of concern and adopt the role of an observer. Without direct U.S. involvement, he argued, NATO would have no real capacity to deliver the kind of «devastating response» described by Rutte.

Khodarenok also expressed doubt that ordinary citizens in European NATO countries are ready to risk the existence of their own states for Ukraine.

In his column for Gazeta.ru, he suggested that even if special weapons were used in Ukraine, Europe’s response would likely be limited to another sanctions package. He described Rutte’s threats as empty rhetoric and argued that Brussels would not have the resolve to face even a hypothetical nuclear confrontation.

Khodarenok separately stressed that Russian officials have repeatedly rejected speculation about the possible use of non-conventional weapons by the Russian Armed Forces.

Earlier, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Russia would face «devastating consequences» if it used nuclear weapons against Ukraine. He made the comment in response to joint military exercises conducted by Russian and Belarusian forces.