War Ukraine - Russia, last minute | What could happen if Putin used nuclear weapons in Ukraine?

• War in Ukraine What lies behind Ukraine's fast-moving strategy

Russian President

's veiled threat to use nuclear weapons in the

Russia

's "territorial integrity"

is threatened has sparked intense discussions in the West about a possible response.

Many analysts are not convinced that

wants to be the first to unleash nuclear strikes in the

.

They claim that Moscow is likely to deploy one or more "tactical" nuclear weapons.

These are small atomic weapons with an explosive power ranging from 0.3 to 100 kilotons, compared to 1.2 megatons for the largest US strategic nuclear warhead.

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7:20

What could happen if Putin used nuclear weapons in Ukraine?

Many analysts are not convinced that Putin wants to be the first to unleash nuclear attacks, since the United States dropped atomic bombs on Japan in 1945. They say

is likely to deploy one or more "tactical" nuclear weapons.

These are small atomic weapons with an explosive power ranging from 0.3 to 100 kilotons, compared to the 1.2 megatons of the largest US strategic nuclear warhead or the 58-megaton bomb tested by

in 1961.

Tactical bombs are designed to have limited impact on the battlefield, while strategic weapons are designed to fight and win all-out wars.

However, the terms "small" and "limited" are relative.

The atomic bomb that the United States dropped on Hiroshima in 1945, with devastating effect, had a power of 15 kilotons.

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