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.

Probably

@shreddednips

No, it's not going to happen. And if it did, I don't think it will be the situation that everyone describes with everyone just nuking each other left, right and centre. I've read about this extensively because I was so worried by all the scary articles. These Armageddon-type scenarios are all based on the premise that entities would just deploy weapons with zero restraint and the sole aim of obliterating their opponent whatever the cost. Of all the unlikely scenarios where nuclear weapons could potentially be used, I think the absolute least likely is any country starting an all-out nuclear war by just unleashing all of its weapons on cities- how would that help it achieve its aims?

It's right that we have a fear of nuclear weapons. If we were relaxed about their existence or promoted the idea that they could be used in a 'limited' way during conflicts, the risk of them being used would be unacceptable. But, in my opinion, you need to balance that with the knowledge that people want to survive. Even real rotters.

This. Not all nuclear weapons are the mother-of-all-bombs kind. There are smaller tactical nukes which could be used to take out a major military target etc. They are still devastating, but it wouldn't be the total instant obliteration of all things that we are used to seeing in movies.

@DrManhattan

It's not about him profiting, it's about him thinking fuck it, I've nothing to lose now. He's not gonna be able to walk away from this.

I keep worrying what if he was so scared of covid because he was Ill, that his illness has progressed and he just won’t care because it’ll be over for him soon so it’s an elaborate suicide effectively

Even if he felt that way, that he had nothing left to lose and was dying anyway so why not go out with a bang, nobody around him is going to want to go down with him, along with their families. It would require the cooperation of several people. There isn't a button on Putin's desk that he can just push and everything launches. I personally think it's unlikely that someone around him is going to put a bullet in him as things stand now. I think they almost certainly would if he asked them to start nuking NATO countries.

After seeing how it’s all being reported and framed in Russia I’m not particularly confident that people would stand up to him. I hope they would but a huge amount of the population seem to be behind him, and I imagine his right hand men take the same views as he does.

Has anyone seen the footage of the captured Russian soldiers? they are so, so young it’s totally heartbreaking!

Zelensky described them as confused children. They don't know why they're there and they don't seem to have any food.

@Sunnierdays

Has anyone seen the footage of the captured Russian soldiers? they are so, so young it’s totally heartbreaking!

That was intentional, using the youngest ones for that footage. It's genius (and to be clear, I'm not criticising). It played up to the heartbreaking nature of all of this - telling their parents to come collect them, like lost children - and it also undermines Putin. He doesn't look like a hard man sending in big tough Marines, he looks like a monster, an idiot and a weakling who sends unprepared kids to war. And it doesn't insult Russian people, in fact it indicates compassion.

It's brilliant.