{"id":183148,"date":"2022-05-29T13:15:51","date_gmt":"2022-05-29T10:15:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uacrisis.org\/?p=183148"},"modified":"2022-05-29T13:15:54","modified_gmt":"2022-05-29T10:15:54","slug":"ukraine-in-flames-79","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uacrisis.org\/en\/ukraine-in-flames-79","title":{"rendered":"Ukraine in Flames: How Russia threatens the world with nuclear bluff"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Putin and his cronies swing nuclear missiles into the world leaders\u2019 faces – again. Spikes of nuclear frenzy seem to follow the aggressor\u2019s need to terrify its Western counterparts when Russia has few other leverage points. Kremlin officials try to persuade the world that Russia will strike if existentially threatened. Russian TV propaganda has simulated nuclear strikes on different regions of the world multiple times in response to pro-Ukrainian political actions and statements by the West.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the surface, Russia is a recognised nuclear power to be weary of. According to different expert estimates, Russia is likely to have about 1,500 tactical nuclear warheads deployed on strategic long-range systems, and almost 3,000 in storage. On February 28, 2022, Putin claimed the Russian nuclear systems were activated to fit \u2018a special regimen of combat duty\u2019. The illusion of nuclear readiness is supported by Russia\u2019s military ally – Belarus – and the Russian officials\u2019 regular statements. President Lukashenka claimed he allowed Russia to deploy nuclear-capable missiles on Belarusian territory near the Ukrainian border. Russia said in April that it plans to deploy its newly tested Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missiles, capable of mounting nuclear strikes against the US, by autumn 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Realistically, the Kremlin is using the nukes as a scarecrow for the last few ready to believe in Russia\u2019s military and economic power. Intelligence informs Russia\u2019s nuclear missiles have not been prepared for launch at no point during the Russian aggression. Moreover, the war has shown that the Russian army is notorious for corruption and mismanagement if strategic development is concerned, so there is little chance Russia will effectively launch the nuclear protocol. It is a widespread view among U.S. experts and Western officials that the chances of Russia using nuclear weapons in the Ukraine war are extremely low. The real danger is the potential effectiveness of Russia\u2019s bullying, blackmailing and terrorizing tactic, which should be recognised as such and firmly opposed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speakers: <\/p>\n\n\n\n