Reports of a “nuclear train” heading to Ukraine have unfold on-line however these experiences needs to be handled with warning, in accordance with an professional.
This video was launched on-line yesterday, and a few experiences have claimed it exhibits a convoy of the unit chargeable for transporting Russia’s nuclear arsenal heading to Ukraine.
The prepare has been geo-located to Sergiyev Posad, northeast of Moscow. This is roughly 350-400 miles from the Ukrainian border and it can’t be confirmed the place the prepare is heading from the video alone.
Forbes McKenzie, former British Army intelligence officer and chief govt of McKenzie Intelligence Services Ltd, informed Sky News: “The train that has been observed has all the signatures of the 12th Main Directorate.”
The twelfth Main Directorate is chargeable for the safe-keeping, upkeep, transportation and disposal of the nation’s nuclear arsenal.
“The signature equipment that is being seen is a BPM-97 armoured vehicle which we know the 12th Directorate have but it is a utility vehicle which we see throughout Russian force such as the Border Guard,” he stated.
These autos are highlighted on this photograph of the prepare launched on Russian social media. Analysts have famous they might function a uncommon mixture of weaponry, together with a 30mm cannon and grenade launcher. It is unclear which models function this model of the car.
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It can be not unlikely that the autos seen within the video could possibly be a part of a resupply to Russian models as a consequence of losses served over virtually eight months of warfare in Ukraine.
McKenzie warned: “At this time of year we would expect to see 12th Directorate exercising and that is not unusual. NATO units do the same thing, in fact all countries that have a nuclear capability do that.”
One attainable clarification is that these actions are a warning to the West. As McKenzie explains, these actions are “something that is very visible from space. It shows capability and demonstrates if Russia wanted to use tactical weapons, it could do”.
But experiences of a attainable nuclear escalation needs to be handled with warning.
“I would strongly argue Russia doesn’t have the opportunity to deploy nuclear weapons. It is a one-way ticket to losing, we’ve been told that clearly and in no uncertain terms by NATO,” McKenzie stated.
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“At no point have the ground forces on the Russian side been seen to be preparing to operate in a nuclear environment.
“There are very specific models that have to be introduced ahead to be able to deploy nuclear capabilities and troops on the bottom have to be geared up with hazmat fits. We’ve not seen any of that happen.”
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