Russia puts its nuclear deterrent on high alert

[Libertybear80]

Does anyone know what that actually means? Is he threatening nuclear war?

If a nuclear bomb was detonated in the North Sea between Denmark and UK it would most likely destroy underwater communication cables, and quite possibly some of the wind farms.

Depending on where it hit it may be seems as a direct attack on UK due to Crown owned foreshore and seabed.

This would not be good!

• seen not seems

RE: the Denmark / North Sea nuke comment in the BBC article...I was terrified about this, but my DH rightly pointed out that particular comment was actually not from the journalist, but from a Russian Defence Analyst, who is likely to be biased towards Putin (few defence analysts based in Moscow can get away with openly speaking out against the government). So it could well be more propaganda than truth. I hope.

As an aside- we have DCs in schools very near major military bases. This is hugely concerning. Presumably it would be the bases Putin would target, not a major city. This is all just completely mind blowing.

@yoolia

China has already come out and said it doesn't support sanctions on Russia.

China won't support sanctions on Russia as that means it Russia will struggle to pay for much of goods as part of the trade agreement cemented with Russia just before the Ukraine invasion. Right now China is propping Russia up and softening the blow of the sanctions.

@Indoctro

There will not be a attack on uk due to the fact with have a nuclear deterrent plus Russia has no need to launch a first strike as they have an effective dead man's switch which the Soviets devised to stop themselves pressing nuclear button.

Stop talking common sense! Can't you see how many people are clearly enjoying whipping themselves into a frenzy over something that will not happen?

Everyone is suddenly a military expert.

It's so distasteful.

@HelpMeHiveMind

As an aside- we have DCs in schools very near major military bases. This is hugely concerning. Presumably it would be the bases Putin would target, not a major city. This is all just completely mind blowing.

That's the worry for everyone really. Nobody wants to think about their family being in harms way. Nobody wants anyone to be in harms way. But sadly the Ukrainians have this actually happening

@Indoctro

There will not be a attack on uk due to the fact with have a nuclear deterrent plus Russia has no need to launch a first strike as they have an effective dead man's switch which the Soviets devised to stop themselves pressing nuclear button.

I didn't really understand this comment; could anyone explain? The bit about no need for them to launch a first strike? Sorry, I'm very unschooled on these matters.

Meanwhile whilst he's blowing us up his own cities would be getting the same. I don't think he's quite that mad. Absolutely pointless.

@Somethingsnappy

Google Russian dead hand.

First strike - strike first, no warning when all your forces are intact.

Second strike- What you launch when you have been hit first, with whatever you have left.

Worry is if a nuclear equipped country feels it is about to be hit and not be able to strike back (loss of communications, leadership all killed) it might go for a first strike - “use it or lose it”.

I think what is being referred to in the op is the speculation over the years, even made it into one well known film, that the Russians (Soviets before them) have some form of system that would automatically trigger their nuclear response if they got hit first, so the Soviets/Russians leadership would never need to deliberately fire the first shots.

At the risk of repeating myself on this the fine detail of how nuclear release would be authorized is protected by all those involved with security measures/levels/grading at a stratospheric level and I would always treat anything posted on an Internet forum or heard down the pub/playgroup on this with a great deal of skepticism.

Apologies for my ridiculous comment last night!! I got myself so worked up and stressed I got drunk ( very unlike me to drink mid week).
I am hoping good sense will prevail here and I also wish the UK would stop making so many public announcements to further provoke this situation with Putin . I really wish I was living in New Zealand at the moment, war is so pointless and it’s always the innocent who take the brunt of it

Right now China is propping Russia up and softening the blow of the sanctions.

Cryto currencies are not currently blocking Russia on the basis that it undermines their libertarian values to do so.

@Springflowers21 I think a lot of us are having these moments right now and can’t vent in real life so end up online, sometimes being more doom and gloom and dramatic than we intend. Hope you’re feeling better today.

My friend lives in NZ they are starting to have a bad time with Covid :( it does feel like nowhere is untouched at the moment, which is weirdly starting to make me feel a bit better.

I think what is being referred to in the op is the speculation over the years, even made it into one well known film, that the Russians (Soviets before them) have some form of system that would automatically trigger their nuclear response if they got hit first, so the Soviets/Russians leadership would never need to deliberately fire the first shots

We also have a system. Every Prime Minister writes four identical letters to the commanders of the British ballistic missile submarines (known as the letters of last resort). These contain orders to be carried out if a nuclear strike has wiped out the government and both the PM and their designated deputy are dead or incapacitated. When there is a change of PM, the outgoing PM's letters are destroyed unopened. One of the options for the PM is to order a retaliatory strike. So, if we get hit, our nuclear response could be triggered automatically.

Yes, known as the Letters of Last Resort.

That’s about the only part of the UK system which is deliberately out there in a little detail in the public domain, and for obvious reasons. Important point is by it’s nature it still keeps human being(s) in the decision chain and for all we know here the letters might have a “don’t fire” option.

It’s certainly not quite a Dr Strangelove style “deadman’s handle”, designed automatically fire everything off if Moscow gets destroyed, which I got the impression might be being implied in one of the posts.

Would anyone else rather our nukes weren't deployed against Russia even if we were completely wiped out by Russia nukes ourselves? Russian people and children are innocent, I wouldn't want them to die. If I were PM my letter would say DON'T hit them, surrender to NZ or something. Despite this I would keep the impression that I was prepared to use them to Putin.

Surrendering to NZ is a great idea. I think they'd make for friendly and relaxed overlords.

@Kendodd

Would anyone else rather our nukes weren't deployed against Russia even if we were completely wiped out by Russia nukes ourselves? Russian people and children are innocent, I wouldn't want them to die. If I were PM my letter would say DON'T hit them, surrender to NZ or something. Despite this I would keep the impression that I was prepared to use them to Putin.

If Russia launched a nuclear strike on the USA and Europe and we didn't respond... the world would be wiped out in any case, or rather human life would. I know its a theory but "Nuclear Winter" where the sun is pretty much blocked out by dust/soot from 1000s of nuclear weapons is very probable.

I think once Russia started putting missiles in silos, ready to go, the Yanks would do the same & the Chinese, all sides would then know what was about to happen, whoever then launched would ensure the destruction of the planet.... there is no such thing as "first strike"

Aside, i find it rather "funny" that as the only planet capable of hosting complex life (out of billions out there) we seem happy to destroy it.

@Kendodd

Would anyone else rather our nukes weren't deployed against Russia even if we were completely wiped out by Russia nukes ourselves? Russian people and children are innocent, I wouldn't want them to die. If I were PM my letter would say DON'T hit them, surrender to NZ or something. Despite this I would keep the impression that I was prepared to use them to Putin.

Grow up

I also can’t understand why people would want to nuke normal Russians just because they’ve done it to us. What’s the point? So cruel! It just kills more innocent people. Russian people have suffered so much from Putin already.

I just googled to see where the nearest nuclear bunker is to our house and the nearest one is 40mins drive away. There seem to be loads of bunkers scattered around London but obviously not enough to take on all the residents. Politicians will get first dibs.

@Kendodd

Would anyone else rather our nukes weren't deployed against Russia even if we were completely wiped out by Russia nukes ourselves? Russian people and children are innocent, I wouldn't want them to die. If I were PM my letter would say DON'T hit them, surrender to NZ or something. Despite this I would keep the impression that I was prepared to use them to Putin.

I can’t think of a more profound waste of time than trying to dictate the nuclear deterrent military strategy to a constituency MP by letter, TBH. There is no conceivable way that the populace will get a say in any country.

I think Kendodd is talking about the letters of last resort, not a letter to their MP!

Ah. Well I’m not sure even Boris gets to decide he’s going to surrender to NZ, and I doubt the generals would draft that plan.