Master Yoghurt
May 18th, 2005, 03:16:48 PM
Ok, calm down, not right now.. and no, I am not talking about Episode III :lol
HOWEVER, 25. januar 1995 the Russian President Boris Jeltsin had his nuclear suitcase open, keys were inserted, a direct link to the United States president was established and all nuclear weapons were prepared for launch. Why? Because of a Norwegian scientific rocket launched from Andøya space center to measure data about the northern lighting (aurora).
The Russian authorities had been well informed of the harmless launch beforehand. However, somehow the information got lost in the chain of command, and the generals and nuclear missile officers were convinced this was the beginning of a full scale nuclear attack from NATO. The missile's trajectory, speed and shape was identical to the horror scenarios in their tactical and strategical analysis detailing how a western nuclear attack would begin.
Ok, that much, some of you might have known about allready. Anyway, just recently a retired Russian officer, Maksim Sjingarkin (officer of the 12. maindirective - an organisation which administrate all of Russias nuclear arsenal) was interviewed on Norwegian news. He had witnessed this at first hand, and he explained how insanely close the world was from nuclear war. If you think The Cuban crisis was bad. Think again..
Not only was the nuclear suitcase open, and all missiles ready for launch. Not only had the missile commanders been ordered to prepare for launch sequence. Oh no, it had gone beyond that. Mr Jeltsin was sitting with the finger on the launch button, with less minutes to make the critical decision than you can count on a hand. . If the button was pressed, it would be no way back. The missiles would launch and there would inneviatable be world war III, with the extinction of the human civilization as we know it.
Thats how close.
The morale of the story? Nuclear Weapons are bad for your health :)
HOWEVER, 25. januar 1995 the Russian President Boris Jeltsin had his nuclear suitcase open, keys were inserted, a direct link to the United States president was established and all nuclear weapons were prepared for launch. Why? Because of a Norwegian scientific rocket launched from Andøya space center to measure data about the northern lighting (aurora).
The Russian authorities had been well informed of the harmless launch beforehand. However, somehow the information got lost in the chain of command, and the generals and nuclear missile officers were convinced this was the beginning of a full scale nuclear attack from NATO. The missile's trajectory, speed and shape was identical to the horror scenarios in their tactical and strategical analysis detailing how a western nuclear attack would begin.
Ok, that much, some of you might have known about allready. Anyway, just recently a retired Russian officer, Maksim Sjingarkin (officer of the 12. maindirective - an organisation which administrate all of Russias nuclear arsenal) was interviewed on Norwegian news. He had witnessed this at first hand, and he explained how insanely close the world was from nuclear war. If you think The Cuban crisis was bad. Think again..
Not only was the nuclear suitcase open, and all missiles ready for launch. Not only had the missile commanders been ordered to prepare for launch sequence. Oh no, it had gone beyond that. Mr Jeltsin was sitting with the finger on the launch button, with less minutes to make the critical decision than you can count on a hand. . If the button was pressed, it would be no way back. The missiles would launch and there would inneviatable be world war III, with the extinction of the human civilization as we know it.
Thats how close.
The morale of the story? Nuclear Weapons are bad for your health :)