NATO Secretary General Promised Russia A Devastating Response

In the event that nuclear weapons are used.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned Russia against launching a nuclear strike on Ukraine. "They know: if that happens, the [Alliance's] reaction will be devastating," he said when asked about the possibility of Russian President Vladimir Putin using such weapons in the ongoing fifth-year war.

Rutte also added that NATO is closely monitoring Russia's nuclear exercises, which kicked off on May 19. The three-day maneuvers involve more than 64,000 troops and over 7,800 pieces of equipment, including nuclear submarines, missile systems and strategic aviation.

The exercises are the largest of their kind in the country's recent history. Russia's Defense Ministry called their purpose training for the use of nuclear forces "under the threat of aggression." After Rutte's statement, the ministry published a video with the comment, "Nuclear force exercises are gaining momentum."

Since the war began, Putin has repeatedly resorted to nuclear blackmail, including in an attempt to force Ukraine's allies to withdraw their support. In general, the Russian leadership regularly uses statements about strategic weapons in the context of confrontation with the West and to shift the focus away from domestic issues. The topic was once again raised after the Victory Day celebrations on May 9, when the Kremlin had to cancel the traditional parade of military equipment in Moscow due to the threat of drone attacks.

With this background, the authorities tested the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile and launched a large-scale PR campaign for the event. Putin called the missile "the most powerful in the world," claiming it could hit up to 35,000 kilometers, Deputy Security Council Chairman Dmitri Medvedev "congratulated" "Western friends" on the launch, and Russian propaganda continuously included Sarmat in its programs for more than a day. Despite this, there was no reaction from US President Donald Trump and European leaders.

According to analysts at the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the nuclear exercises that began after the failure of the Sarmat promotion are also being used by Putin to demonstrate power to Ukraine's allies and divert attention from Russia's growing problems on the frontline.

In contrast to the traditional annual Thunder exercises, which have been held in the fall since 2022, the current maneuvers were not announced in advance. Previously, similar surprise inspections with a focus on tactical nuclear weapons were held in the summer of 2024. ISW believes that Russia then tried to influence the decision to supply long-range weapons to Ukraine.

At the same time, Moscow has stepped up threats against NATO. On May 19, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov accused the alliance of provoking nuclear tensions, declared the danger of a "frontal clash" between the bloc and Russia and warned of "catastrophic consequences" of such a scenario.

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