Nuclear tensions rise while Russia starts to mass troops | Ukraine: The Latest | Podcast

Day 216.
Day 216.
Today, we discuss the latest from the across the battlefront, update on Russian mobilisation & talk in detail about the rising nuclear tensions with our guest, Hamish de Bretton Gordon.
Contributors:
David Knowles (Host). Follow David on Twitter @djknowles22
Venetia Rainey (Assistant Foreign Editor). Follow Venetia on Twitter @VenetiaRainey.
Dom Nicholls (Defence & Security Editor). Follow Dom on Twitter @DomNicholls.
Hamish de Bretton-Gordon (Contributor). Follow Hamish on Twitter @HamishDBG.
Email: [e-mail]
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[@Delsbo]

Pointing out a mistake by your reporter. It is really important to make clear that Nord Stream does not supply Sweden with gas. Neither Denmark, I think. Nord Streamis a Russia-Germany pipeline. We use almost no gas in Sweden and as far as I know nothing comes from Russia. Nord Stream is placed within Swedish and Danish economic maritime zones, that is it.

[@democritus81]

Breaking News The 4 regions have voted, 152% in favour of joining the Russian Federation. Great news Vlad.

[@sherrillwhately7586]

😂🤣😜🤪

[@markb8468]

That's it!? I heard it was at least 1000% what a joke. If they think ANYONE will recognize this ad a legit election, they really are drinking their own coolaid.

[@savgoulis2826]

LOL!

[@luiul1]

i live in oklahoma and we have about the same results.

[@linmal2242]

Thankyou for this update on the current concern of Europa ! Regards from Newcastle, Australia !

[@sherrillwhately7586]

We’re getting numb to the nuclear threats.

[@teardrop-in-a-fishbowl]

Not gonna happen. Putin will lose the last support and becomes isolated even more. And the options to use tactical nukes are only a few. Putin wouldn't, couldn't nuke near the occupied territories, not near its borders or the border to Belarus. China and India will turn against Putin,we already witness a breakaway of countries which were former allies, like Kazakhstan. That's only a talking point by the Kremlin to scare Westerners. Don't give it any space in your thinking!

[@rosemaryspiota9836]

Tell your bosses in the USA to stop making the threats.

[@sherrillwhately7586]

@@rosemaryspiota9836 There are no preemptive nuclear threats from the USA 🇺🇸. It doesn’t even appear nuclear is in the cards for retaliation in a limited nuclear strike, but more conventional means, like sinking the Black Sea Fleet.

[@freshestveggies6476]

@@rosemaryspiota9836 lol

[@chrisminchin854]

Thanks from New Zealand guys

[@Ukbrummie]

Great as usual. Thanks for the updates!

[@The_ZeroLine]

Another great episode. Thanks, guys.

[@jasft9746]

It was trash.

[@The_ZeroLine]

@@jasft9746 I’m so wounded.

[@Tmb1112]

Been listening for months. Y’all do great with these updates. Thanks for the news.

[@jasft9746]

It was absolute garbage. I unfollowed over it.

[@HungryGhost999]

@@jasft9746 each to their own

[@jasft9746]

@@HungryGhost999 Fact or fiction.

[@user-lt1xm4vv1q]

There was a terrorist attack on the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, both were damaged. But the most interesting part was the NATO military exercises (REPMUS 22) with the help of unmanned systems. Recently, Russia in the Black Sea discovered two kamikaze unmanned underwater vehicles from the United States. Who benefits from destroying the European economy? If the production of Europe moves to the USA and boosts its economy! 8

[@jasft9746]

I'm not saying this to be mean. I'm saying this because I care and it would be a terrible shame to form your opinion based on conclusions represented in this episode. I enjoyed previous episodes as well, but this one was so reprehensible I had to unfollow. I'm physically disgusted by it.

[@hammerhorrible]

Telegraph for goodness sake leave comments on for ALL your videos so people can engage. First video I have seen of yours allowing comments. Seriously irritating.

[@davidbarry6900]

They've had comments enabled (mostly) for a couple of weeks now.

[@ZadenZane]

15:06 The 57-megaton Tsar Bomb never was a part of Russia's nuclear arsenal. It was a one-off for political purposes. They had to drop it from a plane because the warhead was so bulky and huge no missile could carry it!

[@martinhughes2549]

The UR500 rocket started as a launcher for the Soviet 50/100 megaton warhead. It later became the Proton heavy launch vehicle.

[@michaelmoorrees3585]

No point for a nuke bigger than ~1 megaton. Most US strategic warheads are in the range of 100K to 250K tons. Think of them like cluster bombs. A lot of smaller bombs or a few big ones. Digging a deeper hole is of limited use. The radius of damage of a 1 megaton warhead over a 100Kiloton warhead is only ~2:1. Remember the "square-cubed" law. Its simple math. Even more fundamental than physics. More bang for your buck with more smaller warheads.

[@davidb6576]

Thanks for these podcasts, this American finds them very enlightening.

[@oscarbtro7295]

Thanks for the great analysis and update on the Ukraine-Russia war. -- Colorado USA. 👏

[@oberststeiner3304]

Get a job

[@jasft9746]

It was absolute garbage. I unfollowed over it.

[@markt113]

Your show is the best available for analysis of the situation in Ukraine. I really appreciate your top notch work.

[@jasft9746]

It's really not. This episode was just some guys blabbing over things they know too little about reaching absurd conclusions.

[@antivaccineproimmunity1043]

mark t. What a bellend 😂😂😂

[@paulkruse6634]

Hey , if we know where Putin will be this Friday , ( giving a speech) , maybe we could hone into that with a drone ? , just to catch his speech of course? LOL

[@michellesonnier1089]

R u insane

[@robertbrennan2268]

Godspeed Ukraine's courageous counter-offensives against the Russian aggressors. Slava Ukraini!

[@matthewrobbins7990]

Madness how people are just walking round like yeah it will be fine crazy

[@psycronizer]

I have doubts that Russia's nukes are even still viable, given the cost of essential maintenance especially considering how old most of them are, nuke triggers (Neutron triggers) are not stable, they have quite short half lives, need to be replaced every seven or so years, as does the other parts that get damaged by constant radiation, judging by the rest of his arsenal....

[@31Blaize]

Given the rampant corruption in the Russian military, I'm half expecting to see IOUs instead of actual nukes...

[@Coastfog]

@@31Blaize *One complimentary voucher to have your city nuked. Valid through 2/24/2023. Not applicable in combination with other promotions.*

[@Patrik6920]

@@31Blaize define IOUs...

[@rosemaryspiota9836]

Russia, unlike your bosses, is wise enough NOT to be threatening, but replying to the belligerent USA that if they use nukes there will be response.This si always the Russian position.

[@magistic345]

Doubts won't keep your skin melting off when they work

[@chrisandreasen4586]

Listening from Seattle Washington

[@arthurjohnson7382]

NATO needs to step up the supplying of arms and ammo to Ukranian Armed Forces. Russia must be defeated in Ukraine so they can't prey on any other less powerful democracies.

[@hunterpayne6167]

A tactical nuclear device has less than 1kg of fissionable material yielding at most 1kg of fission products (the radioactive stuff that can contaminate land). A civilian nuclear power reactor contains on average 200kg of fission products. And the most radioactive isotopes produced decay in a matter of hours or days. So no a tactical nuclear strike doesn't do what your journalist seems to imply. It doesn't create a huge brownfield of contaminated land lasting long periods of time. Doesn't mean it is a good idea to use them but in this situation we need to keep things in perspective.

[@DavidTremblay]

That's what I thought. There could radiation enhanced or cobalt tainted devices but I have no idea if those needs to be larger than typical tactical nukes. Last podcast the discussion was about that, tactical nukes aren't terror devices they are meant to create larger gaps that conventional forces could exploit.

[@brianblamberg4413]

🤪 So a fee small Nukes is ok???

[@brianblamberg4413]

So your 1 kg nuke launched at the center of Kieve would kill how many civilians??? Assuming crazy Putin would only use one tac nuke is absurd

[@Umpt]

Might be small but still a message of escalation and intent. Then what is the limit of acceptable size of these baby nukes…??

[@vaughanbean1156]

@@Umpt Actually US war doctrine does not differentiate between tactical and strategic weapons. Use a tactical nuke and the response is the same as using an ICBM

[@stephencossman6966]

A prayer for Ukraine....🙏 Numbers 6:24-26 Glory to Ukraine

[@Longtack55]

My fav' is Psalms 137:9 "Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones." Nice guy your lord.

[@rosemaryspiota9836]

It is NOT glorious to send your people to battle when there is an eaasy way to solve arguments. Negotiate. Russia is always ready and has waited 9 years or more.

[@freshestveggies6476]

@@rosemaryspiota9836 lol

[@animovie1]

Usually not a fan of the Telegraph. Love this reporting though, keep it up! 👍

[@brianblamberg4413]

Pipelines blowing up is scorched earth. Last resort of a losing country.

[@Coastfog]

I'm amazed by how many very well educated and experienced people do the *nukular* thing.

[@freedomfighter4953]

Please give tanks and aircraft for Ukraine 🇺🇦❤️

[@matthewrobbins7990]

And here's me sitting here been hopeful I dont end up well done

[@jimgraham6722]

600m miss unsurprising, Ruzz pgm guidance likely vulnerable to countermeasures. Modern pgms need multiple guidance techniques, satellite, imaging, terrain matching, inertial erc.

[@mullumulli2525]

Free Ukraine Free Tigray

[@andresdelpino6463]

One thing I don't understand is that Ukraine has lots of radioactive material. Are dirty bombs an option for Ukraine? Do they provide any deterrence? Are they unwilling to target civilians?

[@davidbarry6900]

I can't imagine that they'd want anything like that happening within Ukraine, including the parts that they want to take back from Russia. So, the challenge becomes how to deliver anything into Russia proper. That said, I don't think they're ready to commit war crimes on ordinary Russian civilians yet, even if they are "Orcs". This may change if Russia starts fighting too dirty.

[@willdennis5533]

Dirty bombs are weapons of mass disruption, they are not really any more effective than a standard bomb and just play on the fears of radiation people have. Making them dirty doesn't increase their lethality particularly just harder to clean the area up. It would take a few weeks as opposed to a few days to clean the area up and panic the population who hear the word radiation and think they may grow an extra limb. Plus getting enough highly radioactive material is difficult and logistically difficult to move and plant. The bombs are really more of a hazard to the person planting it than the target.

[@carsonatornz6041]

Currently googling what to do after a nuclear war. Not much! I listen everyday from Auckland NZ. Slava Ukraini

[@youmakeitreal]

We will have to see if Byrds' remarks about nuclear weapons is relevant here.

[@dennisleon4160]

Hello from Costa Rica, I very much enjoy your analysis and I am always looking forward to your podcast. I am concerned with the evident threat on the gas pipelines, putin response is always to escalate and there seems to be no limit to where he will go or what he will do,what a frightening thought.

[@hmmcinerney]

His only limit is his own physical safety, and access to power. He doesn’t give a fig for how much blood will be shed, be it Russian or Ukrainian.

[@rosemaryspiota9836]

Please use your brain and think!!! Costa Rica is a great place. Don't just follow the evil empire of the USA

[@paulkruse6634]

Putin is down to playing his last card ( nuclear) ,, but it not a ace ,, it is a joker !

[@weegaz22]

not really, he still has chemical and biological weapons, and given Bidens threats of "use nukes and we will respond" that is more likely to steer him into using those first.

[@heatrayzvideo3007]

Humanity should be united and exploring the universe. Instead we kill each other over issues we could resolve peacefully if we worked hard.

[@reduk1999]

If it was likely a nuclear bomb was to be used I’d like as much information as possible, for all it’s worth

[@0ldb1ll]

As soon as Russia threatened London British nuclear weapons, which have been carefully maintained, were taken out of storage, moved and prepared for use. Should Putin do anything foolish, Moscow and other Russian military targets will be obliterated. Russia have had at least two rockets go wrong due to inadequate maintainance. The steering system on one jammed causing it to turn through 180° and blast its launch site. This killed 6 people and injured others. The navigation system on the other went wrong and it missed the target.

[@sherrillwhately7586]

Kinda wish Russia 🇷🇺 would cross some red line so we 🇺🇸🇬🇧🇨🇦 🇦🇺🇩🇪🇫🇷🇵🇱🇩🇰 🇳🇱 🇱🇹 🇱🇻🇸🇪 🇫🇮 🇷🇴🇹🇷 could take them out and start the Marshall Plan to reform the country from the ground up. Wouldn’t that be the kindest thing? That’s my impulse.

[@crypticreality8484]

Possibly. We should kick turkey out of NATO though

[@trslim6032]

Unfortunately, it's probably a bad thing for the human race if two nuclear Superpowers go to war. Unless we can do a Korea style war where the major players only battle in that area. But unlikely. I sympathize tho.

[@davidelliott5843]

The maximum occupational dose of radiation is 20mSv per year. The people of Ramsar in Iran get 260 mSv per year (every year) with no ill effects. Why is the industry dose so minutely small?

[@michaellust2030]

The comment was made that the primary threat of a tactical nuclear weapon is radiation. That isn't necessarily so, and isn't what we were taught during military "NBC" training (albeit that was several decades ago). Fallout, specifically, is maximized by a ground level detonation, but that minimizes the anticipated damage from blast and heat...conversely, fallout is minimized, and blast and heat are maximized by an air burst, and those latter effects are, as we were given to understand, the main effects these weapons were designed to produce.

[@nancybrazee5934]

I think Russia will lose at least the Black Sea fleet

[@rosemaryspiota9836]

Oh yes. And Europe will lose any shred of freedom as the USA takes over with the neocons Blinke, Nuland, Sullivan joyfully continuing their rampage.

[@richardlucas4134]

Slava Ukraine!!!

[@alexandervladimirov3939]

How Zaporozhsky region can vote against if all counts are done by putinists???

[@MSPUKIMOLIELIE]

Remember when ppl in Mexico made holes in pipelines? Many ppl lost their lives or sustained 3rrd degree burns from the unexpected explosions due to different sources.

[@danielreborn4707]

There is no more diplomatic or economic responses left to be honest.

[@nancyt2811]

Ask your guests what they will be thinking about. Don't ask them to tell us what we should be thinking about.

[@nancyt2811]

Great show BTW

[@davidknowles3934]

That’s a an interesting way to frame It - thanks Nancy!

[@Edo9River]

Give Dom a bonus for Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@burningsky23]

What does one say about someone who will say "nuclear" and "nukular" in the same freaking sentence?

[@estelleaustin9205]

very interesting discussion. Re: the referendum - yes I thought there were 'smart' ways the Russians could go about their sham - and decided that it was unlikely they would use any of them. Surprise surprise - they chose the dumbest. Some of the Russian reporting is astounding - literally showing referendum counters holding up unmarked ballots and saying they are 'yes' votes - one after the other after the other. If nothing else, I think these referendums are giving a huge insight into how the sham referendum in 2014 were held. Is there any reason to believe that they were any less of a theatre of the absurd and deplorable?

[@whyukraine]

In his last nuke threat, Putler was talking about Zaporizhzhia when he said "the winds may blow the other way."

[@rosemaryspiota9836]

The threats and the violence come from the USA.

[@madelinelevy9067]

This is a Do-or-Die situation for those russians who were drafted to join the partial mobilization to deploy on those territory that were annexed. Their task is to defend the captured areas in ukraine and retaliate ukrainian invaders who's on mission is to retake back. Probably smart, but still a crazy tactics for Putins.

[@Edo9River]

Has anyone gotten China to respond on their position to a nuclear threat, specifically moving the launchers around?

[@waldemardossantos2512]

Glória A Ukraina 🇺🇦💙💛🙏🇧🇷

[@Edo9River]

OK we need a report on a map of how the radiation will blow, and what the effects could be. A psychological impact will have to be speculated, BUT discussing this issue until it happens will help the EU shape this storyline, and not let Russia shape the narrative

[@seanknapton7449]

Why would Putin want to sabotage his own pipe stream when he can simply turn it off

[@rabeasaab7631]

What’s the end game

[@kbkb1290]

Victoire Ukraine

[@jasft9746]

Taking out empty launchers doesn't seem like a priority.

[@Muppetgivers]

Nordstream sabotage a smokescreen for FULL-Scale defense response

[@billbranagan7325]

All war has been outlawed.

[@alexandervladimirov3939]

it’s not “4 states”

[@davidelliott5843]

Russia could drop a nuke from aircraft or use air-launch missiles. When they do use them, immediately take out every missile launch truck they have and every air base within range of Ukraine.

[@alexandervladimirov3939]

How we could call this comedy as a referendum???

[@applepie8772]

Meet the Press is MSNBC

[@coalde1]

Ummm..."Meet the Press" was on NBC's main network decades before MSNBC ever existed. The first episode aired on TV in late 1947.

[@roseblue3368]

Pootin is not strategic he only thinks tactical

[@marcofranco6974]

'master strategist' pootie will get his own country obliterated

[@LetoDK]

06:53 "unprecedented" and "really rare" er mutually exclusive. 06:59 saying that Nordstream 1 "is supplying Sweden and Denmark" is nonsensical and frankly wrong. The connection is to Germany. Granted, Denmark and Sweden might get some gas from Germany, but that's like saying the restaurant is supplying me with food, if my friend had food from them a couple of days ago, and I'm taking some of the leftovers out of my friend's fridge. Nordstream 1 isn't connected to Sweden and Denmark. The pipes just physically come close. Please, journalism should be more professional and accurate.

[@Umpt]

I cannot imagine that Russia will give up…. They are preparing for a longer war… west need to provide much more offensive and defensive weapons… winter can be very harsh in the east of UA and any gains they make now they will be able to hold until spring

[@grunherzjg-5443]

🇬🇧🇺🇲🇺🇦✌️

[@urbanyeti5233]

Comments open!!

[@afterlifewelcomesyoutofore2992]

There is a price on the heads of Russian officers. One picture of a dead Russian officer can equal to a soldier pay for one year. Higher the rank more the pay out. Even those not directly in the Russian army but have rank also risks being shot in the back. Since everyone has a cell phone the transfer on moines gets a lot easier. Guess being in the Russian army does have it rewards after all.

[@ToddWBucy-lf8yz]

So the bureaucratic logic goes something like this, from the perspective of the regional recruiting office..."Moscow says we must supply 10000 men, grab any 10000 men and let the Moscow send them back if they can't use them."

[@greendorg1937]

Going from recent times, If the US/U.K intelligence think the trucks haven’t moved their likely already on the boarder. 😂

[@DS9TREK]

It was UK and US intelligence that correctly said Russia would invade Ukraine, while the French and others said the Russians were bluffing

[@johnnymatias3027]

Russia has used several, maybe over a dozen nuclear capable weapons in Ukraine, we would have no idea one had a nuclear warhead on it. We'd only know if they wanted us to or we'd paid the right person. As for viability of their arsenal, maybe numbers are exaggerated. They could only have 500 to 1,000 viable nuclear weapons instead of 6,000. That doesn't make me feel any better nor does it change the calculus of actors or the devastation they'd cause.

[@williamtalcott549]

Hamish, the word is Nu-cle-ar, not Nucular

[@sarah-janelambert8962]

I wish you'd find commentators who know how to pronounce 'nuclear'.

[@alabamacajun7791]

WOW Thousands of LADAs en-queue to leave Vlad's big cluster [bleep] and avoid Ukraine's efficient meat grinder.

[@Longtack55]

I expect the numbers will be 99.78% in favour of Russia, and Putin will seek the names of the 0.22% and the journalist who keeps referring to "nuclear" as "nucular."

[@seanoneill139]

Probably accurate? Really? Talk about giving credence . My bet is 93% to 95%. The usual pre annexation figure . I’d say a waste of money and resources but boy has Putin set new standards on waste .

[@antivaccineproimmunity1043]

How dare they copy nato 😂😂😂😂😂

[@kptfefe1]

that guy who mentioned czar bomb is completely clueless and say very little in way too many sentences

[@SirDeadPuppy]

has no clue what hes talking about

[@jasft9746]

"Keep your eyes on the numbers coming out of this referendum." Did he really just say that?? Unfollowed.

[@jmikhael5200]

Russia is the new colonialism. The old colonialism is France , Britain , Netherlands and Belgium.

[@mabusestestament]

Russia has been a colonial power for ages.

[@captainbadger1013]

It was called the Russian Empire for hundreds of years.

[@hotpearlsnatch2574]

Don’t forget Rome

[@Nick-xo7bl]

@@hotpearlsnatch2574 and the Phoenicians.

[@petermorris3665]

Or the Vikings!

[@mabvutochimkondenji910]

Keep it up Russia that's the end of the war

[@pablooliveira8721]

🇺🇲+🏳️‍🌈=🇺🇦

[@TheFMBBCBM]

⚽️✌️✌️💚🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷Bolsonaro e sua equipe descobriu como o Brasil pode crescer e o mau não quer isso para o Brasil! Deus pátria família liberdade. Bolsonaro o melhor presidente do Brasil e do mundo inteiro!🙏🏻

[@manzuraabdurahmonzoda3944]

🙂

[@greendorg1937]

Go on lad

[@user-lt1xm4vv1q]

There was a terrorist attack on the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, both were damaged. But the most interesting part was the NATO military exercises (REPMUS 22) with the help of unmanned systems. Recently, Russia in the Black Sea discovered two kamikaze unmanned underwater vehicles from the United States. Who benefits from destroying the European economy? If the production of Europe moves to the USA and boosts its economy! 8