Most Russians would back nuclear strikes on Europe and Ukraine if given a referendum, a Kremlin-loyal political analyst claimed on state television, issuing a dire World War 3 warning that has intensified global alarm as US-brokered peace talks show tentative progress. Sergey Mikheyev, a frequent guest on Vladimir Solovyov’s Russia-1 program and widely viewed as a “Putin puppet” for his uncompromising rhetoric, declared in a broadcast this week that such a vote would leave “both Europe and Ukraine… smoking from radioactive ash long ago”.
He described this extreme position as reflecting “the opinion of the majority” while urging efforts to instil a fear of “catastrophe” to dismantle the European Union. The remarks, translated by Russian Media Monitor, surfaced just as diplomatic efforts intensified following President Donald Trump’s hosting of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday.
While Zelensky has described a revised 20-point peace framework as “90% ready,” Mikheyev’s rhetoric signals a defiant stance from the Kremlin’s media apparatus, insisting that Ukraine will remain a “military target” as long as it aligns with Western interests.
Mikheyev’s statements fit a pattern of nuclear sabre-rattling on Russian state media.
Recent assessments indicate Moscow is advancing the deployment of nuclear-capable Oreshnik hypersonic missiles in Belarus, adding to tactical nuclear weapons already stationed there.
President Vladimir Putin has supervised drills highlighting these systems and signalled lowered thresholds for potential use.
Western and Ukrainian officials have swiftly condemned the comments as propaganda aimed at intimidation during sensitive diplomacy.
European leaders voiced renewed concern over reckless nuclear references, while security analysts noted the broadcasts seek to deter further aid to Kyiv and extract concessions by convincing the West that further escalation will lead to a global “catastrophe”.
Independent polling, however, sharply contradicts Mikheyev’s assertions.
A December Levada Centre survey found that only 25% of Russians favour the continuation of the war—the lowest level since 2022—with 66% supporting peace negotiations, the highest level on record.
Public justification for nuclear use has also fallen markedly.
Despite the data, Mikheyev argued that the West is under an “illusion” that a large-scale war could be contained.
Experts argue that the rhetoric serves domestic mobilisation and external pressure, even as war fatigue grows within Russia. Solovyov indicated his full agreement before cutting to commercials.
As negotiations move toward January sessions involving European partners, Mikheyev’s chilling threat revives fears of nuclear miscalculation in the nearly four-year conflict, underscoring the catastrophic risks still looming over any potential for further escalation.
