Russian propagandist Vladimir Solovyov, known for his close ties to President Vladimir Putin, has made alarming comments suggesting that nuclear war is “unavoidable.”
Solovyov’s statements have raised significant concerns during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, where Russia’s military actions have already resulted in a substantial number of casualties.
During the televised debate on Rossiya-1, Solovyov defended his view by asserting that a nuclear strike would not necessarily lead to widespread death and destruction if it were used against a non-nuclear nation.
While he did not explicitly mention Ukraine, his comments have been seen as a foreboding hint at the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, which has evolved into a protracted and attritional conflict with over 300,000 reported Russian casualties.
It is worth noting that President Putin has previously made threats of using nuclear arms, which have sparked outrage and concern from NATO member nations.
However, to date, these threats have not been acted upon, likely due to the formidable nuclear arsenals held by NATO members, including the United States.
Solovyov’s mention of the inevitability of nuclear war and his attempt to justify it as a means to achieve certain goals have been met with international alarm.
He referenced the historical situations of the nuclear bombings that occurred in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, during World War II, suggesting that not every nuclear war leads to widespread destruction.
In response to Solovyov’s statements, Russian journalist Vitaly Tretyakov expressed his desire to prevent such a catastrophic event.
However, Solovyov disagreed, stating, “Nuclear war is the means for something… Not every nuclear war leads to destruction.” He argued that if nuclear weapons were used against a non-nuclear nation, it would not necessarily lead to the collapse of humanity.
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Growing Concerns, Nuclear Weapons Rhetoric
The debate concluded with Tretyakov expressing his strong disagreement with Solovyov’s perspective.
It is important to note that the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II had a yield equivalent to 15 and 20 kilotons of TNT, respectively.
By comparison, modern nuclear warheads in the US arsenal have a much higher yield, with the largest reaching 1.2 megatons—60 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Nagasaki. Russia is also known to possess bombs with an 800-kiloton yield.
Solovyov’s comments are not isolated incidents. Last week, he mentioned that Russia would deploy nuclear weapons “right away” in the event of a conflict with NATO.
Additionally, other Russian figures, including the head of the Russian Orthodox Church and political commentators, have also made troubling statements regarding the possibility of nuclear war.
The international community is closely monitoring these developments as concerns grow over the rhetoric surrounding the use of nuclear weapons amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.
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