Nuclear Strike: The rising tensions between Russia and the US not only make people fear a third world war, but they also bring up some very bad scenarios that could happen if nuclear war breaks out. This is shown by a shocking picture that shows what might happen after such an event.
Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, said he would use nuclear weapons if American troops entered Ukrainian territory. Putin has recently said, “From a military-technical point of view, we are, of course, ready.” There are weapons so that people can use them.
Putin added, “We have our own ideas.” It is always possible for nuclear weapons to be used in battle. He didn’t hold back when he said he was ready to use nuclear power if there was a clear and present threat to Russia’s independence, sovereignty, or country.
The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) says that Russia has almost 6,000 nuclear warheads, making it the country with the biggest nuclear arsenal in the world.
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ICAN data shows that these destructive weapons can be launched from submarines, planes, or launchers on land. Mirror US reports that Alex Wellerstein, a historian of nuclear technology and science and the author of Nukemap, made the map that shows how far radioactivity would spread, how far a fireball would go, and how many people would probably die if a nuclear bomb went off.
If an 800 kt Topol (SS-25) bomb went off on the East Coast of the US, it could kill 1.6 million people and hurt 3 million more in New York. Cities nearby, like Manhattan, Newark, Elizabeth, Brooklyn, and many more, could be destroyed by the fireball.
The explosion would send heat waves out 11.1 kilometres, which is far enough to cover several US towns and cause a lot of damage. This kind of nuclear destruction could kill up to four million people and hurt another 839,440. It could happen at the White House in Washington, DC.
Aside from this local area, famous landmarks like Capitol Hill and Columbia Heights could be severely damaged by the blast, which could cause buildings to fall down. People living from Alexandria to Silver Spring would get third-degree burns from heat radiation, and damage from light blasts would cover more than 1,000 square miles.
Nuclear Strike – Here are a few key points:
ICBM Range: Russian ICBMs, like the RS-28 Sarmat, can hit any city in the US from launch in Russia because their range is over 10,000 km.
Range of an SLBM: Russian SLBMs, like the R-29RMU Sineva, which are fired from submarines, can be sent over 8,000 kilometres away.
Target Cities: Major cities that could be potential targets include
- New York,
- Los Angeles,
- Washington D.C.,
- Chicago,
- Houston, and
- San Francisco, among others.
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These cities are significant due to their population density, economic importance, and strategic value.
Defence Systems: The US has missile defence systems, Ground-based Midcourse Defence (GMD) system, that are capable to stop and destroy approaching missiles. But the question of how well these systems work against a large-scale attack with many weapons is still being discussed and worked on.
Nuclear Strike – Casualty Estimates
- Immediate Fatalities: Ranging from 50,000 to 1 million.
- Injuries: 200,000 to over 1 million.
- Long-term Effects: Thousands more would suffer from radiation sickness, cancer, and other long-term health issues.
Conclusion- Nuclear Strike
Numbers are assumed, they show how terrible it would be for a nuclear attack to happen in a city like New York City. Diplomacy, arms control, and working together as a global community are still very important ways to avoid such a situation.