Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Image Credit source: File Photo
Russia Ukraine War: Ukraine constantly Russia combating the army. Meanwhile, President Vladimir Putin has put his country's nuclear forces on high alert, terrifying the whole of Europe and condemning the move. In a meeting with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff of Russia's Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov, Putin accused Western countries of "unfriendly actions" against Moscow. In a televised speech, Putin expressed concern, saying, 'The war in Ukraine can take a dangerous turn. For this reason, I have ordered the Defense Minister and the Chief of the General Staff to shift the Deterrence Force of the Russian Army to a special mode of combat duty. Earlier, while announcing the attack on Ukraine, Putin had said, "It doesn't matter who tries to stand in our way or poses a threat to our country and our people." They should know that Russia will respond immediately and the results will be like you have never seen in your entire history.
The Associated Press, citing a US defense official, told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity that Putin is likely going full force. If any calculation is wrong then things can become extremely dangerous. The West has moved swiftly to impose broad economic sanctions against Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. Preparations are being made to remove Moscow from the SWIFT payment system, while high-end military weapons are being sent to Kyiv to counter the invasion. Several European countries have banned Russian flights from using their airspace, while broadcasts of Kremlin mouthpieces such as Sputnik News and Russia TV are also being halted. Significantly, in 1939, there was a fear in America's mind that Adolf Hitler might make nuclear weapons. In such a situation, America started its program to acquire a similar weapon with the 'sole purpose' of stopping autocratic Germany. The gap between the US and the Soviet Union widened after the first atomic bombs were used on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After this, a race started between the two superpowers of the world for the stock of nuclear weapons.
Moscow and Washington hold 90 percent of all nuclear weapons in the world
As of today, Moscow and Washington have 90 percent of all nuclear weapons in the world. Russia has 6,257 nuclear weapons. America is at number two, which has 5600 nuclear weapons, which are enough to destroy the world many times. But this number was much higher during the Cold War. In 1987, during the Reagan administration, Russia and the United States signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which destroyed nearly 3,000 nuclear weapons stationed in Europe by the United States and the Soviet Union. In 1991, the two countries signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START). After this, the number of nuclear weapons in the arsenals of America and the Soviet Union was reduced by half. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, rapid steps were taken to rid Europe of nuclear weapons. During that time, President George H. Bush announced further reductions in nuclear weapons under the unilateral START II treaty, which was part of the US President's nuclear initiative in 1991.
All US nuclear warheads were put on active mode for the first time since 1957, when the then USSR stunned the US and Europe by launching the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, into Earth orbit. Since the end of the Cold War, the world's inventory of nuclear weapons has decreased by about 80 percent. In 1986, their number was about 70300, which has come down to 12700 at the beginning of 2022. Of the 6,257 nuclear warheads Russia has, only 1,600 can be airdropped on land, sea or air in the form of bombs.
Order to put nuclear arsenal in 'Special Mode for Combat Duty'
Joe Sirincione, a well-known member of the Quincy Institute, told MSNBC during an interview that by ordering the Russian Defense Ministry to put the country's nuclear arsenal in 'Special Mode for Combat Duty', President Vladimir Putin effectively used a 'nuclear gun'. Security has been removed. In times of war, security forces remain vigilant at various levels depending on their need. When a country's nuclear forces are on a basic level of alert, they cannot transmit launch orders, as the system is designed to prevent launch orders from being enforced. "What Putin has done, he has reached the second of four possible positions for (nuclear) forces," Sirincione said. The system is ready. Also ready for launch if Putin orders. He said, 'It can have two consequences. The first is that an accident or miscalculation may result in the use of a nuclear weapon. This was a very common problem during the Cold War. The second is that if Putin starts losing in this war, then he can seriously consider using these weapons.
Putin has no option but to lose in the war against Ukraine
Because of the strategic advantage of being familiar with their territory, Ukrainians are responding to Russian military attacks in unexpected ways. (Many Western media outlets, such as the BBC, have posted videos of women making Molotov cocktails to help men deter Russian invaders.) The Atom Management Project at Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs Executive director Francesca Giovanni says Putin has no option but to lose in the war against Ukraine. "Putin has claimed that Ukraine is Russia's identity and an inseparable part of it," he said. Furthermore, a defeat by a much weaker army would be a huge blow to the Russian Federation and Putin's reputation after two-thirds of Russia's military might have gone into the fray.
Meanwhile, continuing the war is becoming increasingly costly for Putin. As more sanctions and other diplomatic, economic and military actions take effect, the pressure on Russia to withdraw in Ukraine will increase. In fact, the whole world is watching the cold war rivalry openly.
(The author is a senior journalist, the views expressed in the article are the personal of the author.)
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