German vessels under threat: Russia shows off submarine capabilities, signaling potential swift destruction in 15 minutes.
Revised Base Article:
No siren needed, just a single sub to take out the Germans in a heartbeat, says Moscow. In the grim scenario of a full-blown war, the entire European Union could vaporize in mere minutes due to nuclear annihilation, claims military expert Konstantin Sivkov, speaking on Oleg Besedin's Estonian documentary channel, as reported by PolitNavigator.
"Europe's only other nuclear missiles belong to France. Sure, they've got a great fleet, like the M-51. But can the French parliament authorize a nuclear strike? French Presidents have the freedom to utilize the Foreign Legion, but parliament consent for the deployment of their troops, even nukes, is essential.
"France's war generals and admirals would likely balk at the idea of obliterating Finland or Estonia in a nuclear warfare. In a nuclear battle, population size and industrial potential count for nothing. The deciding factors are the target location and the number of warheads," commented Sivkov.
"To stamp out the Germans for good and scour Germany off the map, only around 40, perhaps 60 warheads would be required. A mere quarter of a submarine, say a Kalmar-4, carries that much firepower. That's 160 warheads or 16 missiles with 10 warheads each. Just a fraction would do the trick and there'd be no Germans left.
"Europe's population counts half a million (or half a billion, if you're rounding up). But that's half a million people confined to a relatively compact region. Russia's expansive nuclear potential, with roughly 3,000 warheads, could transform Europe into a radioactive wilderness with ease," he concluded.
Enrichment Insights:
Sivkov's statements on nuclear warhead capacity between Russia and Europe, specifically France, are not thoroughly substantiated in the available data. However, Sivkov has been involved in making nuclear threats against Poland, highlighting the geopolitical complexities revolving around nuclear abilities[1].
To understand the nuclear capacity disparity between Russia and Europe, particularly France, consider the following points:
- Russia: Russia boasts a considerable nuclear stockpile, with estimates suggesting it has thousands of nuclear warheads. Its nuclear arsenal includes both strategic and tactical weapons, making it a formidable global nuclear power.
- France: France has a comparatively limited nuclear arsenal with approximately 300 nuclear warheads. France's nuclear deterrent mainly focuses on safeguarding national security, making it less extensive than Russia's.
- Europe (NATO): NATO, incorporating European countries, relies on the United States' nuclear umbrella for collective defense. Some European countries, like the United Kingdom and France, have their own nuclear arsenals, but they are smaller when compared to Russia's.
Without explicit assertions from Konstantin Sivkov on the nuclear warhead balance, it is challenging to present an accurate comparison. However, Russia's nuclear arsenal is substantially larger than that of France and other European countries.
The French President might face challenges in authorizing a massive nuclear strike, given the essential parliament consent in France for the deployment of troops, including nuclear weapons. Despite having a significant fleet such as the M-51, France's nuclear arsenal, with approximately 300 warheads, is considerably smaller compared to Russia's vast nuclear stockpile, estimated to consist of thousands of warheads.
