The Kaliningrad Incident

The Kaliningrad Incident was one of the shortest military conflicts to take place during the Cold War, but also one of the most devastating. What began as a reconnaissance mission quickly turned into a duel between two super soldiers that ended in the deaths of thousands and the destruction of the entire Kaliningrad region.

The Conflict

Prelude

On December 6, 1988, American intelligence received word that the Soviet Union was potentially transferring tactical nuclear weapons to a military base in the Kaliningrad Oblast. Unable to deploy spy planes to investigate, Strategic Air Command sent in a soldier under their employ codenamed Alpha Ray (real name confidential), a superhuman capable of flight; superhuman strength, speed, and durability; and energy projection and absorption. .

Deployment

After five days worth of preparation, Alpha Ray arrived in Kaliningrad early morning on December 11. There, he performed reconnaissance on the Kaliningrad Chkalovsk for several hours. Unfortunately, Strategic Air Command's suspicions were proven true, as the Soviets were in the process of transferring several missiles with nuclear capabilities to the base. Also unfortunately, to oversee the transfer, the Soviet Strategic Missile Troops had deployed a soldier codenamed Svarog (real name confidential), a superhuman with a power set similar to that of Alpha Ray..

The Engagement

The two soldiers engaged in mid-air battle for approximately three and a half hours. Exact details of the ensuing fight are sketchy at best, but it ended when either one or both of the superhumans absorbed more energy than they could handle and spontaneously self-detonated over the nuclear weapons storehouse, setting off the entire payload inside.

Outcome

There was an immediate panic in the aftermath of the explosion, with many believing that the Soviets had just been nuked by NATO forces. When this was proven otherwise, fear quickly gave way to anger at the utter recklessness and lack of concern for human welfare displayed by both parties. The United Nations quickly organized a committee to look into the use of super soldiers of various world powers on both sides of the Iron Curtain.

Aftermath

Two years after the Incident, the Superhuman Test Ban Treaty was ratified by the United Nations. The treaty made it illegal for nations to genetically modify of human beings, baseline or superhuman, or employ superhumans in the military.

Conflict Type

Skirmish

Battlefield Type

Air

Start Date

December 11, 1988, 1:04 pm

Ending Date

December 11, 1988, 4:37 pm

Conflict Result

Kaliningrad was completely destroyed with over 400,000 casualties, including both Svarog and Alpha Ray