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Putin to be dealt Black Sea revenge: How West could hit back after four regions seized
The West has condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin’s plan to annex four regions of Ukraine today in a move which threatens to take the war into an unpredictable new phase. Expert David H. Dunn says Ukraine’s allies will have drawn up a number of responses in private to counter Putin’s possible use of nuclear arms.
By Jon King
19:01, Fri, Sep 30, 2022 | UPDATED: 19:38, Fri, Sep 30, 2022
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The sinking of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet is one way the West might hit back if Moscow were to use a nuclear device, an expert has said. Russian President Vladimir Putin will proclaim the annexation of four Ukrainian regions today (September 30) in a ceremony in Red Square, Moscow. The move comes after referendums held over four days in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions in the south of Ukraine were condemned around the world.
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Prime Minister Liz Truss described the move, which is the biggest annexation in Europe since Adolf Hitler, as something Britain will never accept. US President Joe Biden said the United States would never recognise Russia’s claims on Ukraine’s territory.
Russian officials have said the four regions will fall under Moscow’s nuclear umbrella once they have been formally incorporated into Russia. Putin recently repeated a threat to use non-conventional weapons, adding he was not bluffing.
David H. Dunn, professor of international politics at the University of Birmingham, said while the US has declared use of non-conventional weapons will be met by a resounding and overwhelming response, it has not outlined specific measures.
He told Express.co.uk: “What I imagine is going on is in public they are being general, but in private I imagine a lot of signalling is going on.”
Russia’s Black Sea Fleet could be destroyed if Putin fires a nuclear weapon (Image: Getty)
A Russian cruiser fires missiles during a naval exercise in the Black Sea (Image: Getty)
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Professor Dunn said if Russia were to use a nuclear weapon on the battlefield in Ukraine it could lead the West to respond in a number of ways.
He said: “Talk of responses there are interesting. A massive cyber attack could be launched or Microsoft and Apple could be ordered to switch off software. That could have a massive impact.
“Also, sinking Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. That would allow you to attack Russia without attacking Russian territory. The threat of that has been made to Russia’s military privately almost certainly. [The West will have also said in private to the Russians] do you think you can beat us given how poorly you performed against Ukraine? A lot is going on behind the scenes.”
Russia’s Black Sea Fleet earlier this month relocated some of its submarines away from Sevastopol in Crimea, according to the MoD.
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