(MENAFN- Swissinfo)
Gas masks on the shelf of a Cold War shelter in Warsaw, Poland. Fighting around Ukraine's nuclear power plants and Russia's threats to use nuclear weapons have reawakened nuclear fears in Europe. This is especially felt in countries near Ukraine, like Poland. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved
As the war in Ukraine escalates, Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to use his nuclear arsenal, fuelling fears across Europe. For its part, Switzerland is well prepared, but not even Swiss bunkers will be enough in the event of a large-scale nuclear war.
This content was published on November 9, 2022 - 09:00 November 9, 2022 - 09:00 Writes about the impact of new technologies on society: are we aware of the revolution in progress and its consequences? Hobby: free thinking. Habit: asking too many questions.
| Studied law, then worked as a journalist at the newspapers NZZ and Zürcher Oberländer, and the magazines K-Tipp, Saldo, and Plädoyer.
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The war in Ukraine continues unabated, with no end in sight. The Kremlin has responded harshly to the advance of Ukrainian troops into Russian-occupied territories, bombing cities and strategic infrastructure. Putin has repeatedly threatened the use of nuclear weapons to“defend the territorial integrity of our homeland”, including Ukrainian territories he illegally annexed.
Most analysts agree that the risk of a Russian nuclear attack in Ukraine remains low. Besides not guaranteeing the achievement of the Kremlin's military objectives, the use of nuclear weapons could trigger a NATO response and would isolate Russia internationally. However, Moscow might decide to use such weapons – most likely smaller“tactical nuclear weapons” with low destructive power – as a last resort to stop the Ukrainian counteroffensive.
The danger of nuclear weapon use is therefore constantly increasing, says Stephen Herzog, a nuclear weapons expert at the Centre for Security Studies (CSS) at the federal technology institute ETH Zurich.“The effects of a nuclear war would be devastating for Ukraine, Europe and beyond. It is necessary to plan for the scenarios and be ready,” he says.
How prepared is Switzerland?Switzerland appears to be relatively well prepared for the consequences of a nuclear event in Ukraine. The government has improved its protection against nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) threats and hazards since the 2011 accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan.
“Over the past ten years Switzerland has reinforced its level of nuclear and radiological protection, which was already high, and is in a good position,” says Anne Eckhardt, a biophysicist and chair of the NBC Commission of the Federal Office for Civil Protection (FOCP). Eckhardt also claims that Switzerland would have the capacity to provide medical assistance to people from areas affected by radiological accidents.
In a , the NBC Commission listed quality infrastructure as a particular Swiss strength. This includes the Spiez Laboratory, a national centre for the analysis of NBC threats.
But an international comparison shows that the network of bomb shelters scattered throughout the country, capable of accommodating the entire population in case of need, is Switzerland's real asset. The country has more than 360,000 of them, a unique case in Europe and the world.
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