Russia has repeatedly threatened to resort to the use of nuclear weapons in the Ukraine war. Fears of a nuclear war have flared up again and again since the beginning of the conflict. So far, the horror scenario has yet to emerge. Nevertheless, many people wonder whether their city would become a target in the event of an emergency. An animation called 'Plan A' has been designed to provide answers.
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Several million dead
Back in 2017, Princeton University published its frightening simulation, as reported by the Daily Mail. The model is supposedly based on realistic data, which includes potential targets and locations of nuclear weapons.
If the nuclear strikes were actually carried out according to the model, it could cost nearly 34 million lives in just a few hours; another 55 million people would be injured within the same period (information obtained via NUKEMAP). The fatality rate could continue to skyrocket in the following days and weeks.
Expert considers risk of escalation low
The simulation initially assumes a conventional attack, which escalates into a nuclear conflict. According to the Science and Global Security:
the reason for this project is the need to demonstrate the potentially catastrophic consequences of current US and Russian nuclear war plans.
By the time the final escalation stage is reached, many more people would have lost their lives, with estimates that 85.3 million would be affected by the consequences. However, Dr Alex Glaser, one of the brains behind Plan A, believes the risk of nuclear war is low. He told Newsweek:
As far as one can tell, this is the most serious crisis with a potential nuclear dimension involving Russia and the United States/NATO since the end of the Cold War, even if the risk of a nuclear war is still considered 'small'—as many analysts would argue
This article was translated from Gentside DE.
Sources used:
-Newsweek: Nuclear War Simulator Shows What War With Russia Would Look Like
-Daily Mail: What could happen if Putin uses nuclear weapons in Ukraine: Terrifying computer simulation reveals how a Russian strike could trigger a war that kills 34 MILLION people in just five hours
Read more:
⋙ Russian submarine with nuclear 'super-weapon' resurfaces, here's what we know
⋙ US wants to prepare for a nuclear incident in Ukraine by setting aside $35 million in aid
