Posted on 06/03/2007 7:43:12 PM PDT by blam
Putin in nuclear threat against Europe
By Adrian Blomfield in Moscow
Last Updated: 1:31am BST 04/06/2007
President Vladimir Putin has sent a chilling message to world leaders on the eve of the G8 summit with a threat to aim Russian nuclear missiles at European cities for the first time since the Cold War.
In comments that seemed calculated to cause consternation and division at Wednesday's meeting in Germany, the Russian leader said that American plans to erect a missile defence shield in eastern Europe had left him with no choice but to retaliate.
Vladimir Putin acknowledged that targeting Europe would escalate an arms race he says has already begun
"It is obvious that if part of the strategic nuclear potential of the United States is located in Europe we will have to respond," he told reporters from G8 countries in Moscow at the weekend.
"What kind of steps are we are going to take in response? Of course we are going to acquire new targets in Europe."
Mr Putin's anti-western rhetoric has grown more strident since Washington confirmed plans to locate 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar station in the Czech Republic by 2012 - a project he believes is directed at Russia.
With more disputes between Russia and other G8 members brewing, the strain in East-West relations will overshadow a summit that the German hosts wanted to focus on the environment and African poverty.
Despite hopes that an invitation for direct talks with President George W Bush next month would mollify Mr Putin's anger, the Russian president sent out a clear signal that he preferred combat to compromise.
At his last summit with fellow leaders from the Group of Eight industrialised nations, Tony Blair can expect a particularly frosty reception when he meets Mr Putin on the sidelines of the summit.
The Kremlin is outraged by Britain's demand to extradite Andrei Lugovoi over the murder of his fellow KGB veteran Alexander Litvinenko, accusing London of exploiting the case for political ends.
Mr Putin went one step further at the weekend, accusing Britain of providing shelter to terrorists - a reference to the political asylum granted by the courts to Boris Berezovsky, a tycoon and the president's chief foe, and to Akhmad Zakayev, an envoy of the anti-Russian Chechen rebels.
"The suspicion arises that this is a political move made by those who hide terrorists and thieves on their own territory," Mr Putin said.
America has backed Britain's extradition request, although Russia has already rejected it, and Mr Blair is likely to maintain his support for the US missile shield.
But diplomats suggested that Mr Putin's nuclear threat could be borne from a belief that support from other G8 countries - particularly Germany and Italy - is less solid.
Mr Putin, they suggested, was attempting to persuade European powers that the shield, which is ostensibly meant to protect the West from nuclear attack by a rogue Middle Eastern country, was not worth the risk of provoking Russia.
Returning to a theme that has begun to dominate statements by senior Kremlin officials, Mr Putin acknowledged that targeting Europe with Russian missiles would escalate an arms race he says has already begun.
A Russian nuclear misile silo: Russia has an estimated 16,000 nuclear warheads, the world's largest stockpile
But, he insisted: "It was not us who started altering the strategic balance."
The president refused to be drawn on which European cities could be targeted.
"It is up to our military to define these targets, in addition to defining the choice between ballistic and cruise missiles," he said. "But this is just a technical aspect."
America has ruled out abandoning the shield, expressing exasperation that Russia has rebuffed repeated invitations to participate in the project.
US officials have called Moscow's fears "preposterous", arguing that the 10 conventional missiles at the heart of the shield would be no match for Russia's huge arsenal.
Russia has an estimated 16,000 nuclear warheads, the world's largest stockpile, with 7,200 said to be operational.
It is unclear to what extent Mr Putin's threat may be bluff. At last year's G8 summit, hosted by Russia, world leaders went out of their way to avoid criticising him - even though he mocked Mr Bush and Mr Blair.
A year later, however, the Russian leader is increasingly aware that the mood of indulgence is swiftly evaporating.
David Kramer, the US assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, said Washington would no longer "abstain from speaking out".
"The suppression of genuine opposition, the abridgment of the right to protest, the constriction of civil society and the decline of media freedom are all serious setbacks."
Some of Mr Putin's most loyal friends in Europe are unable to bring their support to bear after losing office. The former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder still describes the Russian leader as "an impeccable democrat", but Angela Merkel, his successor, is much more wary.
Nicolas Sarkozy, the new French president, has condemned human rights abuses by pro-Russian forces in Chechnya - a subject that enrages Mr Putin.
I think all of the following are involved: Putin is preparing to stay in power for life; This is to whip up the Russian population; and there is a degree of madness to Putin.
I have said it once and I will say it again NEVER TRUST THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT.
=A Russian nuclear misile silo: Russia has an estimated 16,000 nuclear warheads, the world’s largest stockpile=
It is lie!
Russian Ministry of Defence told that since January 2007:
Russia has 927 “carriers” and 4279 warheads;
whereas the USA has 1255 “carriers” and 5966 warheads accordingly.
If you want to know history of nuclear weapons...
Year USA USSR GB Fr Ch Total
1945 6 - - - - 6
1946 11 - - - - 11
1947 32 - - - - 32
1948 110 - - - - 110
1949 235 1 - - - 236
1950 369 5 - - - 374
1951 640 25 - - - 665
1952 1005 50 - - - 1055
1953 1436 120 1 - - 1557
1954 2063 150 5 - - 2218
1955 3057 200 10 - - 3267
1956 4618 426 15 - - 5059
1957 6444 660 20 - - 7124
1958 9822 869 22 - - 10713
1959 15468 1060 25 - - 16553
1960 20434 1605 30 - - 22069
1961 24173 2471 50 - - 26694
1962 27609 3322 205 - - 31136
1963 29808 4238 280 - - 34326
1964 31308 5221 310 4 1 36844
1965 32135 6129 310 32 5 38611
1966 32193 7089 270 36 20 39608
1967 31411 8339 270 36 25 40081
1968 29452 9399 280 36 35 39202
1969 27463 10538 308 36 50 38395
1970 26492 11643 280 36 75 38526
1971 26602 13092 220 45 100 40059
1972 27474 14478 220 70 130 42372
1973 28449 15915 275 116 150 44905
1974 28298 17385 325 145 170 46323
1975 27235 19443 350 188 185 47401
1976 26199 21205 350 212 190 48156
1977 25342 23044 350 228 200 49164
1978 24424 25393 350 235 220 50622
1979 24141 27935 350 235 235 52896
1980 23916 30062 350 250 280 54858
1981 23191 32049 350 275 330 56195
1982 23091 33952 335 275 360 58013
1983 23341 35804 320 280 380 60125
1984 23621 37431 270 280 415 62017
1985 23510 39197 300 360 425 63792
1986 23410 45000 300 355 425 69490
1987 23472 43000 300 420 415 67607
1988 23236 41000 300 415 430 65381
1989 22827 39000 300 415 435 62977
1990 21781 37000 300 505 435 60021
1991 20121 35000 300 540 435 56396
1992 18340 33000 200 540 435 52515
1993 16831 31000 200 525 435 48991
1994 15456 29000 250 485 435 45626
1995 14111 27000 300 485 425 42321
1996 12937 25000 260 450 400 39047
Please, slightly correct table across...
I have no experience to publish table from Excell..
Excuse me...
"New research A new report from Rosatom, the Russian government's highest nuclear authority, shows that there is a grave danger that the stockpile can explode. For Norway the consequences could exceed the fallout from the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, and no one knows how imminent the danger is - if it is a question of years - or hours. "
I’ve read article and discussion under link.
I try to explain briefly.
All submarines have empty nuclear reactors (nuclear fuel is discharged) therefore nuclear explosion is impossible thing.
USA and other states assign money for dismantling of Russian submarines. However Russian functionaries steal the better part of money (former Ministry of Nuclear Industry Eugene Adamov was arrested in the Switzerland for the such reason but Putin coaxed him out - thanks Pr.G.Bush). Russian functionaries divide money between themselves and American partners too. Those initiate worried publications; US government assign more money etc again and again.
these are active or operational warheads. The 16,000 figure includes stockpiled reserves.
Every warhead’s weight is about 10 kilogram (2.68 pounds) of plutonium. Stock pile reserves in Russia amount more than 500 000 kilogram of fissible materials. In the USA production of fissible materials amount 550 000 kilogram (since 1945), total spending amount 3.9 trillion dollars.
US government (Al Gore) made a deal with Russia (V.Chernomyrdin) about purchase and sale 500 000 kilogram of Russian fissible materials for 20 billion dollars only. I can not imagine size of bribe(s) in such giant deal! There was big scandal in Russian media but the deal under name High Enriched Uranium - Low Enriched Uranium still execute (though listlessly). But it is another story where Russian staff thieves work with Americans in the intimate contact.
I think there is no way he is ever giving up power. The Commies are coming back
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.