Ukraine faces a new level of escalation: Kostenko warned of the risk of a Russian nuclear strike

Former commander of the SBU’s Alpha special unit and current MP Roman Kostenko warned that if the Kremlin decides it is losing the war, Russia could resort to the use of tactical nuclear weapons.

According to him, potential targets could include military facilities, command posts, critical infrastructure, troop concentrations, and even major cities.

Kostenko said that Ukraine must begin preparing for the worst-case scenario now. He also mentioned a draft law intended to create a legal framework for responding to nuclear, chemical, and biological threats.

The situation is further aggravated by activity on the Belarusian front. Ukrainian intelligence is reportedly observing road construction toward the border and the deployment of artillery positions in Belarus. Kyiv does not rule out the possibility that Moscow is trying to draw Minsk into the war in order to increase pressure on Ukraine from the north.

An additional alarming signal was Russia’s decision to scale back its May 9 Victory Day parade: cadets, military school students, and heavy equipment will reportedly not take part. Officially, this is being explained by the “operational situation” and the threat of Ukrainian strikes deep into Russian territory.

Against the backdrop of Russia’s deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus and the growing military activity near Ukraine’s borders, Kostenko’s warning appears less like an abstract scenario and more like a signal of possible preparations by Moscow for a sharp escalation of the war.