Therefore, Putin might consider that, in order to signal to the West that he means business, his only option would be to drop a nuke on Ukrainian positions - either military, civilian or infrastructure. It also might not send the signal that he intended, as it would fail to conclusively prove that Putin was not actually bluffing, as he has previously boasted. It would gain him no other tactical advantage and would risk alienating support among aghast allies such as China and India. The successful use of a tactical nuke would trigger an 'escalation ladder.' NATO would be required to either give in to Kremlin demands or risk further nuclear attacks that could spiral out of control.īut if NATO stood firm, the move would likely backfire on Putin. 'They could misfire and accidentally hit a Russian city close to the Ukrainian border such as Belgorod,' the source said. The nuclear cloud could also blow west over NATO countries, something that former CIA director David Petraeus and be could perhaps be construed as an attack on a NATO member.Ī senior defence source said a demonstration could come in the Black Sea, which would be more likely than using a tactical nuke in Ukraine, according to The Times.īut if Putin chose to do so, he would face a significant risk. It would not be cost-free, however, as the electromagnetic pulse would fry all circuitry within a certain radius, while the fall out and radioactive dust would render the blast zone and surrounding areas an extreme bio-hazard. This would be intended as a demonstration of capability and conviction, to cow the US and NATO into backing down. Putin could aim to detonate one of these as a 'warning shot', either in the miles in the air, over the open sea or under it - away from the battlefield and with no loss of life. Or he could launch a land-based short-range Iskander ballistic missile. Putin could choose to launch one from Kalibr cruise missiles fired from a ship in the Black Sea or a jet over Russian territory. The threshold for using tactical nuclear weapons is lower, however, and Russia has nearly 2,000, with a variety of ways to deliver them at their chosen targets. If ever used, retaliation would be inevitable and the world would be looking at nuclear Armageddon. The use of strategic nuclear weapons is the ultimate deterrent. Russian tactical nukes, with a yield of between ten and 100 kilotons, are designed for use on the battlefield in contested territory.īy way of example, the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945 was approximately 18 kilotons. The Russian nuclear stockpile, the largest in the world, consists of 'tactical', lower-yield bombs, and strategic weapons that can annihilate entire cities and population centres. The CIA says it hasn't seen signs of an imminent Russian nuclear attack.īut the dictator, who turns 70 on Friday and long-rumoured to be suffering from ill health, will be desperate to get out of the corner he has backed himself into. In response, the White House has warned of 'catastrophic consequences for Russia' if Putin does the unthinkable and presses the launch button.įor now, analysts cautiously suggest that the risk of Putin using the world's biggest nuclear arsenal still seems low. There have even been reports that NATO is anticipating a nuke to be detonated on Ukraine's borders, in a demonstration of Putin's resolve.
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Russia's massive stockpile of nuclear weapons is the last credible threat Putin has in his struggle with the West, now that his once-vaunted army is proving to be inferior to the Ukrainian army and Europe is so far standing firm against his gas hostage diplomacy.Ī chorus of callous cheerleaders, both on Russian state TV and among ultra-nationalist allies, such as Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov and former president Dmitri Medvedev, egg their leader on to break the nuclear taboo. He also claimed that the United States had 'created a precedent' by dropping atomic bombs in World War II. Vladimir Putin has backed himself into a corner over his unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and, facing defeat on the battlefield, has increasingly been turning to his stockpile of nuclear weapons to try to threaten his adversaries
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