Nuclear Threshold

A nuclear strike near the Yavoriv training ground in western Ukraine sends radioactive dust across civilians, rescuers, and evacuation routes. After the fall of the Baltic states, Moscow demands a pause that would freeze its gains and turn conquest into an accepted settlement. Fear divides NATO, and pressure on Ukraine comes from allies as well as its enemy. As Washington, Moscow, and Beijing negotiate over the future, Europe risks losing its place at the table. Marcus Kern recognizes a campaign designed to force Ukraine's consent through military terror and diplomacy working toward the same result. The trilogy reaches a crisis in which the threat of another strike is being used to dictate the terms of peace.