Former US officials warn that the conflict in Ukraine has increased the risk of nuclear war. See complete news on viralnewsgossip.com.
On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian nuclear forces to shift to a higher state of alert. Insider’s Mattathias Schwartz breaks down why former US officials are concerned that tactical nuclear weapons could be an appealing option for Putin.
Putin ordered his military to ratchet up the force posture on Russia’s arsenal of 6,000 nuclear warheads — a small but significant step toward initiating a global thermonuclear war.
Schwartz says it’s important not to overstate the practical significance of Putin’s decision. It most likely amounts to Russia disengaging one part of the safety on its nuclear gun, he says, which is not the same thing as preparing to pull the trigger.
The chance that Putin would decide to launch long-range nuclear weapons is still believed to be almost nil.
There’s been discussion among experts about the possibility that Russian forces might use “tactical nuclear weapons” to seize a battlefield advantage, especially in conflicts they are losing. These weapons have shorter ranges and smaller explosive yields.
The first days of the unprovoked invasion have gone badly for Russia. Deaths of Russian soldiers already number in the thousands, a loss on the order of what the US sustained during its 20-year campaign in Afghanistan.
