Who Will Blink First?

‘Who will blink first?’ Is nuclear war between Russia and the US possible?

RT

Discussions about strengthening nuclear arms control have been ongoing for decades, but have recently receded into the background, with leading powers now hurling direct threats at each other.

Despite the obvious catastrophic consequences of a nuclear war, in which world leaders have repeatedly noted there would be no winners, Moscow and Washington continue to warn that they are ready to use their arsenals in extreme circumstances.

Experts have expressed hope that these statements are nothing more than attempts at blackmail. However, sooner or later, this kind of talk could lead to a critical situation similar to the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis, when the Soviet Union and United States held atomic pistols to each other’s heads.

To make matters worse, the entire system of international agreements on disarmament has practically collapsed, leaving little hope for improvement in the near future.

In light of the conflict in Ukraine, public concern about the possibility of a global nuclear conflict is on the rise. This was first actively discussed on February 27, when Putin ordered the Russian deterrent forces to be put on special combat alert. The Strategic Deterrence Forces are the basis of the Russian Armed Forces' combat power, intended to deter aggression against Russia and its allies, as well as defeat an aggressor, including in a war with the use of nuclear weapons. 

Analysts have repeatedly returned to the question of whether a real nuclear confrontation between Russia and other states armed with atomic bombs is possible. In August, then-British Foreign Minister and PM candidate Liz Truss said she would use nuclear weapons if necessary. Prior to that, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Washington would consider using its nuclear arsenal only in emergency circumstances, such as to protect the vital interests of the US, its allies, and partners.

Talk of a possible nuclear conflict re-emerged on September 21, when Putin saidthat Russia would use all means at its disposal if faced with a threat to its territorial integrity. He pointed to the fact that Washington is directly pushing Kiev to expand the hostilities to Russian territory. Putin also noted that Western countries openly state that Russia should be defeated on the battlefield by all means, and deprived of economic, political, cultural, and in general, any, sovereignty.

"I want to remind those who permit themselves to make such statements concerning Russia: Our country also has various weapons of destruction at its disposal, and in certain components, more modern than those of NATO countries. If the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we will certainly use all the means at our disposal to protect Russia and our people. This is not a bluff,” Putin said.

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