World War 3 fears grow as Putin signs new nuclear law

MOSCOW – Russia has begun mass-producing mobile bomb shelters that can protect against shockwaves and radiation from a nuclear blast. The emergency ministry’s research institute said the ‘KUB-M’ shelter could offer protection for 54 people for up to two days against natural and man-made hazards. Among those it listed were: explosions and shrapnel from conventional weapons; falling debris from buildings; dangerous chemicals and fires.

This comes after Putin signed a law allowing a nuclear strike. The new document, which replaces the previous iteration outlined in 2020, allows Putin’s strategic forces to deploy their devastating weapons if Russia or Belarus is threatened by a non-nuclear nation supported by a nuclear power.

Threats that could make Russia’s leadership consider a nuclear response include an attack with conventional missiles, drones or other aircraft, according to the updated document. Ukraine’s strike on an ammunition depot in Russia’s Bryansk region yesterday morning with US-supplied ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) meets these criteria, raising fears that Moscow may now consider a dramatic escalation in the conflict.

But Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed Putin’s so-called ‘red lines’ and the provision of ATACMS – which boasts an operational range of up to 300 kilometers – has brought hundreds of prized Russian military and logistics assets within range of Kyiv’s crosshairs. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a US think-tank, has established a list of nearly 250 high-value military and paramilitary targets within range of the weapons that could be demolished by Ukraine.