❗ “Fake story” about the so-called putin’s nuclear train, which is managed by the secret nuclear unit of the 12th main directorate of the ministry of defense of the russian federation and which was sent from the central part of russia in the direction of Ukraine, appeared on October 2 on the pro-russian Telegram channel Rybar. It was claimed that the echelon of BPM-97 armored personnel carriers and other specialized military equipment with nuclear weapons was intended for the task of a demonstrative nuclear strike on the russia-Ukraine border or in the waters of the Black Sea. It seems that the kremlin admits that in the event of a mistake, russian border towns may also suffer.
🔺The information was instantly “picked up” by both pro-russian Telegram channels and news resources, as well as quite influential Western publications (“The Times”). Against the background of NATO’s warnings about the possibility of russia using weapons of mass destruction against Ukrainian territories and the fact that russia’s doctrine allows the use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states, this “fake story” looks quite credible. At the same time, the US Department of Defense does not confirm that russia is transporting tactical nuclear weapons by rail for further use against Ukraine. American and British intelligence currently believe that putin will not dare to “press the red button.”
🔎 The kremlin does not officially comment on the presence of the so-called nuclear trains in the arsenal of russian nuclear forces. Most likely, this journalistic cliché refers to nuclear trains carrying intercontinental ballistic missiles – combat railway missile complexes (CRMC) with the RT-23UTTX “Molodets” missile, which served as a deterrent for NATO until 2007 and were in service with the Armed Forces of the USSR and the armed forces of the russian federation.
It is a specially designed railway train running on ordinary railways, in the cars of which strategic missiles (usually of the intercontinental class) are placed, as well as command posts, technological and technical systems, means of protection, personnel that ensure the operation of the complex and its life support system. Work on the Barguzin project (modification of the Molodets air defense system) was stopped by the russian federation in 2016. The official kremlin does not confirm, but also does not deny the explanation in social networks that the excitement around the “nuclear echelon” is due to the russian armed forces holding regular large-scale exercises of the strategic forces “Grom” (the last time it was held in October 2019).
❓ Why does the kremlin promote such a message in the infospace?
☝️ Such “messages about nuclear potential” have clear signs of putin’s informational and psychological special operation, which has taken nuclear blackmail to a new level and is terrorizing the West and official Kyiv by threatening to use super-powerful weapons. After all, it is not for nothing that publications mention the expression “nuclear train”, which is taken from the American terminology of the “Cold War” era, when even a group of 18 spy satellites over russia did not allow guaranteed identification of anti-aircraft missiles on the routes of their combat patrols.
In this regard, the threatening publication of the Italian publication “La Repubblica”, which, with references to NATO sources, painted in bright colors how the russian nuclear submarine K-329 “Belhorod”, which is considered a “prototype of a new concept of war”, went to the Arctic to test a new super-powerful Poseidon torpedo, sometimes called the “Paladin of the Apocalypse,” which can cause a “radioactive tsunami” capable of wiping out such megacities as New York and Los Angeles from the face of the earth.
☝️ “Dismissals” about the “nuclear train” and “weapons of the Apocalypse” are elements of informational pressure on the world community, which aims to intimidate the West and force Ukraine to sit down at the negotiating table with russia. In this way, the kremlin dictator gives signals to the world community about his readiness to take decisive measures to solve the “Ukrainian issue”, as russia is losing ground on the battlefield.
❗ The probability of using nuclear weapons in Ukraine under the pretext of protecting “russia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” by russia depends on whether putin will perceive the warning of the US and allies about the “catastrophic consequences of such a decision” as a threat to himself and the state system.
After all, the USA and its allies take russia’s nuclear threats very seriously and closely monitor the movement of russian nuclear forces.
☝️ We are convinced that, despite constant blackmail from the kremlin, the russian federation will not be able to pressure the USA and the West into making any concessions regarding the interests of Ukraine.
