Kathrine Frich
A senior Kremlin-linked political scientist has issued a stark warning to Britain and other European capitals
The comments, reported by the Daily Mirror, come amid continued tensions over the war in Ukraine and NATO’s support for Kyiv.
Nuclear warning
Sergei Karaganov, a long-time Russian foreign policy strategist sometimes dubbed “Professor Doomsday,” suggested Moscow should strengthen its nuclear posture and be prepared to act first.
According to the Daily Mirror, Karaganov said Russia must increase its reliance on nuclear deterrence to halt what he described as a slide toward global war.
“Our responsibility to our own country, our people, and the entire world is to stop this slide [towards world war],” he said.
“It can be stopped in one way….by increasing the emphasis on nuclear deterrence. Technically, this is doable.”
He added that in a “worst-case scenario” Russia could launch “a series of preemptive strikes against the main source of evil now”.
European capitals targeted
Karaganov claimed those targets would be “certain European capitals” and warned that if retaliation followed, it would trigger “a fairly massive nuclear strike [from Russia.”
He accused Western leaders of being “reckless” and “feeble-minded,” arguing they must be “seriously frightened, and if not, then destroyed.”
The political scientist also framed the confrontation as existential, claiming Russia must mobilise to prevent “a global thermonuclear war that would destroy a significant part of our country”.
Longtime Kremlin voice
Karaganov heads Russia’s Council for Foreign and Defence Policy and has for years been regarded as an influential voice in strategic debates in Moscow.
He said he has “a loud voice” within Russia and argued that Western policies are aimed at weakening or even eliminating Russia as a power.
His remarks add to a series of nuclear warnings issued by Russian officials and commentators since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Sources: Daily Mirror
