In a recent episode of her show “Ch.TD,” Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of RT, made a provocative statement concerning the ongoing tensions between Russia, the West, and Ukraine. Simonyan suggested that Russia could issue “an increasingly inevitable nuclear ultimatum” without directly confronting Washington. She posited that a nuclear explosion in space over Siberia would suffice to “destroy everything electronics,” thereby sending a powerful message.
Andrei Ozharovsky, an engineer-physicist specializing in “Radioactive Waste Safety,” responded to Simonyan’s claims. He acknowledged that while an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) from a nuclear explosion could indeed disable unprotected civilian equipment, its impact would be localized. Ozharovsky emphasized that such an explosion would not affect electronics in America, Europe, or other parts of the world. He also noted that military electronics have been designed to withstand the effects of a nuclear explosion since the 1940s.
Ozharovsky further pointed out that the kind of nuclear test Simonyan is advocating for would violate the 1963 Moscow Treaty, which prohibits nuclear tests in the atmosphere, outer space, and underwater. He criticized calls to breach international treaties, stating that doing so would require Russia to formally withdraw from the Moscow Treaty.
The Kremlin also weighed in on Simonyan’s remarks. Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of the Russian President, clarified that Simonyan does not hold a governmental position and her statements do not necessarily reflect Moscow’s official stance. He added that Russia has not renounced nuclear tests but suggested that “such discussions from an official point of view” are unlikely.
The international community has been closely watching these developments. Newsweek reported that Simonyan made her claims after a Ukrainian drone fell near her childhood home, describing the threat of deploying nuclear weapons as becoming “increasingly uncontested”, reported Newsweek. Reuters also covered the Kremlin’s response, stating that Russia has not abandoned its moratorium on nuclear testing and dismissing Simonyan’s suggestion as a warning to the West, Reuters reported this.
This series of events has sparked a flurry of discussions and analyses, raising questions about the credibility and implications of such statements in the already tense geopolitical landscape. While the scientific community has largely debunked the practicality of Simonyan’s proposal, the political ramifications continue to be a subject of intense scrutiny. The Kremlin’s subsequent clarification serves as a reminder that while individual opinions may capture headlines, they do not necessarily translate into state policy. Nonetheless, the incident has added another layer of complexity to the intricate web of relations between Russia, the West, and Ukraine, and it remains to be seen how this will influence future diplomatic interactions.
