Putin’s Nuclear Red Line. Manlio Dinucci

All Global Research articles can be read in 51 languages by activating the Translate Website button below the author’s name.

To receive Global Research’s Daily Newsletter (selected articles), click here.

Click the share button above to email/forward this article to your friends and colleagues. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter and subscribe to our Telegram Channel. Feel free to repost and share widely Global Research articles.

***

“Russia will deploy its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus at Minsk’s request,” President Putin announced.

“In reality – he clarified – we are doing everything that the United States has been doing for decades”.

Moscow points out that the United States has placed its tactical nuclear weapons in Europe, in six NATO countries: Italy, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Turkey, and Greece (they are not currently in Greece, but there is a depot ready to receive them).

The B61 nuclear bombs – in Italy they are located in the bases of Aviano and Ghedi – have now been replaced by the new B61-12, and the US Air Force is already transporting them to Europe.

Their characteristics make them much more lethal than the previous ones: each bomb has 4 power options depending on the target to be hit, is directed to the target by a satellite guidance system, and can penetrate the ground to destroy enemy command centre bunkers. The US will probably deploy the B61-12 also in Poland and other NATO countries even closer to Russia.

Three NATO nuclear powers – USA, Great Britain, France – and four US nuclear-armed NATO countries – Italy, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands – participate in the Baltic Air Policing operation in the Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland airspace, with aircraft that can carry tactical nuclear weapons. In addition to these aircraft, U.S. B-52H strategic bombers Air Force carry on nuclear warfare training missions in the Baltic region, and other European areas bordering Russian territory.

The European Allies have made 19 airports available for such missions. The United States, having torn up the INF Treaty, is also preparing intermediate-range nuclear missiles to be deployed in Europe.

To this offensive deployment, the bases and ships of the Aegis “missile defence” system deployed by the US in Europe are added. Both ships and land-based Aegis installations are equipped with Lockheed Martin Mk 41 vertical launchers which – the manufacturer itself documented – can launch not only interceptor missiles but also cruise missiles armed with nuclear warheads.

After the US and NATO rejected all Russian proposals to stop this increasingly dangerous nuclear escalation, Russia responds by deploying nuclear bombs and intermediate-range missiles in Belarus close to US-NATO bases in Europe ready to be armed with nuclear warheads.

*

Note to readers: Please click the share button above. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter and subscribe to our Telegram Channel. Feel free to repost and share widely Global Research articles.

This article was originally published on byoblu in Italian.

Manlio Dinucci, award winning author, geopolitical analyst and geographer, Pisa, Italy. He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG).

Featured image is from The Unz Review


Comment on Global Research Articles on our Facebook page

Become a Member of Global Research


Articles by: Manlio Dinucci

About the author:

Manlio Dinucci est géographe et journaliste. Il a une chronique hebdomadaire “L’art de la guerre” au quotidien italien il manifesto. Parmi ses derniers livres: Geocommunity (en trois tomes) Ed. Zanichelli 2013; Geolaboratorio, Ed. Zanichelli 2014;Se dici guerra…, Ed. Kappa Vu 2014.

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are of sole responsibility of the author(s). The Centre for Research on Globalization will not be responsible for any inaccurate or incorrect statement in this article. The Centre of Research on Globalization grants permission to cross-post Global Research articles on community internet sites as long the source and copyright are acknowledged together with a hyperlink to the original Global Research article. For publication of Global Research articles in print or other forms including commercial internet sites, contact: [email protected]

www.globalresearch.ca contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available to our readers under the provisions of "fair use" in an effort to advance a better understanding of political, economic and social issues. The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving it for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material for purposes other than "fair use" you must request permission from the copyright owner.

For media inquiries: [email protected]