Kotsonis, S., & Chakrabarti, M. (2023, June 21). Is it time to take Putin’s nuclear threats more seriously? WBUR. Retrieved July 27, 2023, from https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2023/06/21/is-it-time-to-take-putins-nuclear-threats-more-seriously

In the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Russia has repeatedly warned of its potential use of nuclear weapons. While many observers view these threats as bluffs, some experts take the warnings seriously. Retired Brigadier General Kevin Ryan argues that if Ukraine’s counteroffensive leads to significant territorial gains, the likelihood of Russia resorting to a nuclear strike increases. Ryan believes that President Putin will use nuclear weapons to avoid being seen as weak in the war. U.S. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines views the odds of this scenario as very low. However, Ryan’s analysis points to Russia’s reliance on nuclear weapons as a key deterrent after its conventional military strength weakened post-Cold War. The situation presents a challenging dilemma for both Ukraine and NATO, given the potential consequences of Russia’s actions and the complexities of international response under Article 5.

This issue reminds me of the movie War Games where, in the end, they figure there is no winner in a nuclear war because the warheads destroy everything. Nuclear warfare is something that people don’t think about on a daily basis, but the reality is that there are many moments where a nuclear missile could be launched and start a nuclear world war. This is a scary thought for humanity where, in a moment, everything one knows could be destroyed. Not only will nuclear bombs destroy whatever they hit in a big radius, but it will leave nuclear fallout in an even bigger radius. When things are blown up, they can be rebuilt. However, nuclear fallout will kill environments and humans and will stay in the area for a long time. A lot of pop culture reflects this dystopia of post-nuclear-war, such as the game Fallout 4.