Vladimir Putin has warned the US that if Washington deploys long-range missiles in Germany from 2026, Russia will station similar missiles within striking distance of the west.
The US will start deploying long-range fire capabilities in Germany in 2026 in an effort to demonstrate its commitment to Nato and European defence, the Washington and Germany said earlier this month.
The US’s “episodic deployments” are in preparation for longer-term stationing of such capabilities that will include SM-6, Tomahawk cruise missiles and developmental hypersonic weapons that have a longer range than current capabilities in Europe, Washington and Berlin said.
In a speech on Sunday to sailors from Russia, China, Algeria and India to mark Russian navy day in the former imperial capital of St Petersburg, Putin told the US it risked triggering a cold war-style missile crisis with the move.
I keep hearing this and I really hate this line. I think deploying those missiles in Germany is absolutely the right thing to do and that Russia must be countered.
But assuming none of Russia’s 1710 deployed nuclear weapons work is crazy. Even if they haven’t been maintained well, that’s a ridiculous risk to take with that many weapons.
And even if the warheads aren’t functional anymore, nobody wants to get a dirty bomb dropped on their heads. The best nuclear weapon is one that’s not launched.
Still doesn’t mean Russia gets to do what it wants.
The moment any of those clear the launchpad they would trigger a retaliatory attack anyway, probably even if every single one of them blew up their own launch site, let alone failing to detonate over an intended target.
Even if only Russia suffered direct nuclear detonations, it would still result in 100+ million civilians killed, plus tens of millions more from nuclear fallout across Eastern Europe.
Brushing off nuclear war as survivable is lunacy.