Is there really going to be a nuclear war/attack?

[Logburning]

I’m reading it everywhere, starting to feel terrified.

It’s not like covid or even WW1 or WW2, how can I protect my 3 year old? I can’t.

Even the BBC are talking about it as a possibility!

I just want to see my child grow up I feel so sad & scared.

@CatDogMonkeyPOW

Putin has gone to great lengths to avoid getting Covid. He has shut himself off for two years and is still insisting on extraordinary infection control measures.

That is not a man who wants to die. That's a man who wants to live and cling onto power. I don't think he will start a nuclear war because he knows it will end in his death.

No, he doesnt. And he had a bunker. Its quite common in Eastern Europe to have some and his will be high-tech.

I dont find the comments that say "absolutely not", "its just scare mongering" "Putin would know that would kill him too so why would he?" Not remotely helpful.

The thing is, we don't know, and downplaying it just makes anxiety around it worse in my opinion as it screams in denial to me.

Since he has access to nuclear weapons, and has threatened the use of them, it does make it a real possibility, and I don't think denying that is helpful in this situation.

What is helpful is acknowledging it's a LOW possibility, and looking at actual reasons why its low possibility rather than just categorically claiming its empty threats.

I am far far far from an expert, but I've taken comfort reading the logistical issues with a nuclear attack, the fact that it would also be self sabotage, the fact that currently he has shown no actual desire to take this further than Ukraine (only mentioned nuclear as a retaliation).

I don't think it is going to happen, but I also acknowledge theres a tiny chance it could.

I'm sorry if this doesn't help, I'm anxious too and people just saying "it wont happen, chill out" doesn't help, but when the much more informed and rational members of mumsnet list the reasons why it probably wont happen with clear researched reasoning, I find that more comforting.

@Hospedia

OP, this thread might be helpful to you if you're wanting to keep up to date with the situation but avoid media scaremongering

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/4493443-The-invasion-continues-Thread-No-4

Its very calm and measured with some knowledgeable posters happy to answer questions.

I recommend this too. You will find it informative without the fear mongering

Even Putin has to get through quite a few people before he can launch a nuclear attack, I think when it comes to the point the generals will refuse to allow it, these men are soldiers, not genocidal maniacs, they know it would be game over for the Russian people, not just us.

@DillonPanthersTexas

Yes. Just after Eastenders on Thursday.

Please no. I’ve been looking forward to gray getting caught for his serial killings!

@Loki01

CatDogMonkeyPOW
Putin has gone to great lengths to avoid getting Covid. He has shut himself off for two years and is still insisting on extraordinary infection control measures.

That is not a man who wants to die. That's a man who wants to live and cling onto power. I don't think he will start a nuclear war because he knows it will end in his death.
No, he doesnt. And he had a bunker. Its quite common in Eastern Europe to have some and his will be high-tech.

But when he comes out of his bunker there would be nothing/no one left. I don't think he would want that

He has a very large specially constructed - by Gazprom - underground bunker in the Altai mountains. It can generate it's own power and has the latest technological equipment.

Some are speculating that he's moved his family there, but who knows the truth?

“ I didn't. I was making a slightly tangential comment about media coverage in response to the post I quoted.”

Strange wording if you didn’t want people to infer it also included the topic of the thread, but ok.

There’s probably a lot to be said on whether the media was actually fear-mongering over the worst global pandemic and uk storm in living memory, but I guess that’s for another time.

Come on Mumsnet,please nuke these idiotic threads,it’s becoming tedious now.

It's extremely unlikely. Russia and Ukraine are neighbours. A nuclear attack would probably be catastrophic for them too.

Your best bet is to put this out of your mind. There is nothing about this situation that you can influence so therefore energy spent worrying about it is wasted. Pretend it isn't happening.

I had a news flash last night saying it would take w0mins from launch to reach us. My conclusion? I dont need to know that.

There are massive things that we cant control. Like covid racing the UK, massive geological events, and possibly alien invasion. These are things are I'm aware of, know all want to know and then pack them away in a mental box.

You cant stop it anyway and who needs to scared shirtless every day by that on the news? Like terrorism. It's someone job to monitor and loose sleep. They can stop things. We cant. Turn off the news

I am wondering whether the Russian people are feeling the same stress as us ! They know he launches then one back ! The politicians need to try and bring this situation well down and stop publicly aggravating it !

@BarrowInFurnessRailwayStation

He has a very large specially constructed - by Gazprom - underground bunker in the Altai mountains. It can generate it's own power and has the latest technological equipment.

What would be the point though. He likes to be in control

I remember when I started my (Catholic)senior school in the mid eighties, there was a poster on the notice board that read, “in the even of a nuclear attack, mass will be held in the hall for three minutes.” Terrified the hell out of me, as did all the Cold War propaganda. Now, I haven’t got the energy to worry about it.

It is unlikely. Not only has Putin got to authorise it, the military have to obey his orders.
It was revealed a couple of years ago that the order to launch a nuclear attack was given by the US I think?, but the General refused to do it. It was because a computer screen wrongly showed that a nuclear attack had been launched against them.
If it did happen - a very low possibility - it may be far enough away that it would cause us little harm. I remember in the UK when we could not eat Welsh lamb because of the risk of nuclear fallout from Chernobyl. But life went on as normal for most people.

Sorry but what have I just read? Putin puts his family into a nuclear bunker? So he’s preparing for something then?! Sh*t I’m scared.

If someone managed to assassinate putin, what would likely happen?

The only people agitating for a nuclear war are newspaper commentators and centrist liberal types. Everyone who knows anything about war isn't in support of it.

No the only person agitating for nuclear war is Vladimir Putin. He’s the aggressor here.

I was worried when I read that about his family but it’s by a not necessarily reliable source who doesn’t necessarily have insider knowledge.
He could also be putting them into the bunker to make sure they aren’t got at by would be uprisers or those seeking to get to Putin himself.

All these new posters, posting for the first time about nuclear war. All say the same thing, terrified, cant protect young kids yadda, yadda yadda. It's not like this hasnt been answered a million times this week already.

Putin, is that you?

@Didioverstep

If someone managed to assassinate putin, what would likely happen?

I have no idea but I wish someone would hurry up & take him out.

@Logburning

Sorry but what have I just read? Putin puts his family into a nuclear bunker? So he’s preparing for something then?! Sh*t I’m scared.

The only person positing this theory is a professor who is a conspiracy theorist and has also said that Putin and his Defence Minister conduct shamanic rituals together. I wouldn't take it as gospel. It's also only been published in the likes of the Daily Mail, Express etc. Basically only the publications that have never let responsible journalism get in the way of a good clickbait-y headline. Good propaganda for Putin, though, what better way for him to show how worried he is by the purported threat from Nato that demanded he upped the alert level on his nuclear forces than to hide his family away...?

The chance of a nuclear war is never zero, it's both because and why we have them. It might be higher now than it was last week, but it's still unlikely. Putin shouldn't be underestimated, and if anyone in the world right now was going to launch one then my money would probably be on him, but it's still not a likely outcome. There's a longstanding tradition of non-use of nuclear weapons and checks and balances in place that have saved the world a nuclear situation in the past and hopefully will again if we're ever in that position.

No one can tell you not be worried. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit worried, but it's also outwith our control. Enjoy your life, step away from sensationalist news.