With the start of Russia's war against Ukraine, the problem of nuclear security has become acute again, and any escalation can lead to catastrophic consequences. An important role in this context is caused by the possibility of accidental strikes or mistakes, which can not only increase tensions, but also turn a local conflict into a global war.
At least 14 Russian nuclear storage facilities are within range of Ukrainian missiles and drones.
Although the author of the article writes that "there is no indication that Ukrainian forces deliberately targeted nuclear warhead storage sites," he notes that "the warheads could have been accidentally hit - or deliberately attacked or stolen." Previously, there were already arrivals 100 km from these objects.
"Even more dangerous is the possibility that a Ukrainian missile strike or territorial seizure could lead to chaos in the operation of the repository, which would allow attackers to seize nuclear warheads or inadvertently provoke an escalation of a nuclear conflict on the part of Russia," the newspaper writes.
Russia should have removed its nuclear warheads from these storage facilities at the start of hostilities, but did not. Perhaps Putin thinks this will be a sign of weakness. Or maybe the Russian military fears that the West will interpret this as preparation for a nuclear attack, which will provoke a warning strike by NATO.
