While the world frets about the risk of nuclear warheads being used in contemporary warfare, the fear has always been about dropping large bombs. The massive impact of these bombs is a mass destruction that doesn't just wipe out the entire history of humanity, but also drastically alters the future generations of children. This notion has existed since the beginning of time, but it's not quite as real today, given that many nuclear-armed countries have come to the conclusion that they won't become first ones to use nuclear weapons.
There is, however, another option that many haven't considered. One obvious option, given the worldwide trend to make items smaller and easier to transport and portable, is mini-nukes. After the bombs dropped upon Hiroshima, as well as Nagasaki, Japan, the US and Russia have been racing to make them larger and more powerful; Russia has been developing a bomb that is 3,000 times stronger, and the US increasing to 1,000 times the force of these bombs, the promise of mutual destruction has prevented each side from pulling the trigger.
Today, with the advancements in warfare, they've created smaller and less precise nuclear weapons that both sides could use. While the risk posed by these attacks is less, the threat is quite real, and is likely to become more real because the war in Ukraine is poised to spread into Poland. The main concern is that, if Putin finds himself in a position of fear, he'll have no reason to not press that button to end the silence that has lasted for 76 years.
lrich Kuhn, a nuclear expert at The University of Hamburg and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace has offered his view on the possibility of nuclear weapons hailing from Russia. “The chances are low but rising…The war is not going well for the Russians, and the pressure from the West is increasing.” The warning may seem small in the context, but the idea behind it is real and extremely destructive. Most people are aware that an animal in a cage will strike out, and the West has effectively shut down the majority of Russian companies. A country without income is bound to collapse.
The attitude of not being concerned about their soldiers, but concerned about the outcome of their strikes, is one of the things Putin has put out for all to see. His assaults on nuclear power stations that include not only small arms, but also rockets, show an intense determination to win at any cost. Like several Russian troops who surrendered with the flip a hat declared, they had received very few resupplies and they were not adequately prepared for the task they took on.
Putin did treat Ukraine casually. This is evident in the words and actions of his military authorities. It's a message that people have taken note of across the world and, to the Russian people, it's not a signal of power. However, neither are the numerous protests held by the Russian citizens against the violence in Ukraine.
James R. Clapper Jr. is a retired Air Force General. He was the Chief of Intelligence and he has conducted extensive research about Russia. Due to their aggression against Ukraine during the time Obama was president, he's seen the poor decision-making process of Putin. He talked about attacks on Zaporizhzhya; the Zaporizhzhia nuclear reactor site that is not just the biggest in Ukraine, but also across Europe. “They did not seem to take any notice of it… It was just that they just went to the site and shot at the site. This is indicative of the Russian nonchalant attitude. They don't have the distinctions like we do when it comes to nukes.”
This attitude indicates that Putin is willing to absorb the cost in order to inflict the most damage possible on Ukraine and its citizens. With the mini-nukes that he has developed, Putin can now have a secure and direct method to strike Ukraine at the core of their strength. To think that he wouldn't be able to do this is ignorant, and it will be costly.
