Russia has created a simulator capable of replicating a land-based nuclear explosion to train its military forces. The device will offer a visual simulation of the impact effect, light flash, and mushroom dust cloud resulting from such a nuclear explosion. According to a report in Newsweek, the simulator has been developed by researchers at the Russian Military Academy of Logistics. It is expected to revolutionize the training of ground forces in scenarios where the use of nuclear weapons may be possible.
As a part of its efforts to improve the quality of its nuclear force, the country is upgrading its training programs. The military academies are also developing advanced equipment to help its personnel in various areas of combat, including detecting and identifying the epicenter of an explosion.
These improvements came when Russia raised its nuclear readiness levels to the highest in decades. The Kremlin’s warnings that it could resort to nuclear warfare have heightened fears in the West.
A recent video posted online shows a Russian military train carrying equipment that could be used to deploy a nuclear-capable missile, a defense analyst says. The train belongs to a secretive division of the Russian Ministry of Defense, which is responsible for “the storage, maintenance, transport, and issuance of nuclear munitions,” Konrad Muzyka, a Poland-based military analyst, tells CBS News. The footage, which was not independently verified, should be seen as a warning to the West, Muzyka said.
In the past two years, both the United States and Russia have abandoned long-standing nuclear arms control treaties and are expanding their circumstances where they might use such weapons. These changes have raised the risk of a catastrophic nuclear war between the world’s superpowers, leading to estimates of 90 million people dead and injured within hours of a clash, according to a new computer simulation by SGS.
The simulator simulates a plausible escalating war between the US and Russia, using real-world nuclear force postures and targets, as well as estimated fatalities. The program was designed by Alex Wellerstein, Tamara Patton, and Moritz Kutt of the MIT Media Lab, with contributions from other team members. The simulation is part of the Nukemap project, which aims to provide a framework for assessing risks and avoiding catastrophes in the future.
In a video published this week, the head of Russia’s armed forces warned that the country is on high alert. He was responding to the West’s threats to impose sanctions against private Russian entities and officials in response to Moscow’s actions in Ukraine.
