West making 'prudent planning' to prevent panic if Russia uses nuclear bomb in Ukraine

Amid the ongoing brutal war in Eastern Europe, western officials have been engaged in "prudent planning" behind the scenes to avoid turmoil and terror in their own nations at the time when Russia would launch a nuclear weapon in or near Ukraine, The Guardian reported. Despite the fact that a nuclear catastrophe is seen to be extremely unlikely, the source said that officials throughout the world have been reviewing their plans to offer emergency assistance and assurance to people worried about a nuclear conflict. 

During a briefing on Friday, an official was asked if there would be steps taken to stop panic purchasing or people fleeing cities en masse out of fear of an escalation following a nuclear explosion. To the response, the western official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, stated that governments were involved in "prudent planning for a range of possible scenarios”, but they emphasised that any use of nuclear weapons by Russia in the conflict would be reprehensible. 

Russia would employ 'all available means' to preserve Russian territory

It is pertinent to mention that Russian President Vladimir Putin has escalated the nuclear rhetoric as Moscow has suffered setbacks on the Ukrainian battlefield since September, declaring last month that he would employ "all available means" to preserve Russian territory. The Russian president's remarks regarding nuclear use, according to the western official, were "deeply irresponsible," and no other nation has been discussing nuclear weapons. They claimed, "We do not see this as a nuclear crisis", The Guardian reported.  

Apart from this, Jake Sullivan, the national security advisor for the United States, warned that Moscow would face "catastrophic consequences" if it attempted to use a tactical nuclear weapon, which has the explosive force of six or seven Hiroshima bombs. 

In order to maintain purposeful ambiguity, the west does not want to specify how it may react during a nuclear attack, the report added. However, it is anticipated that any initial reaction would be non-nuclear in order to prevent fast escalation. 

According to media reports, earlier this month, the Russian military forces started moving its nuclear-capable assets in what is being seen as a "signal" to the West as the US and its allies intensify attempts to detect any action that reveals Russian President Putin's desire to use nukes. NATO was on high alert, relaying information to its allied commands after spotting the movement of Moscow's K-329 Belgorod nuclear submarine carrying a 14,700-ton 24-metre Kanyon or Poseidon unmanned underwater vehicle powered by nuclear energy, according to the Italian newspaper La Repubblica. 

The 100-megaton nuclear weapon carried by Poseidon sometimes referred to as the "Weapon of the Apocalypse," has a top speed of 185 km/h. According to the report, Poseidon cruised through the Arctic waters after being suspected of being involved in the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines. The report said that Russian naval troops may be testing a nuclear torpedo in the Kara Sea.