A devastating nuclear strike on London causing 850,000 deaths with two million injured has been simulated by a staunchly pro-Putin propaganda TV channel.
Broadcasting the four minute video with an English commentary appears to be the latest move in a concerted campaign to scare Britain from giving permission to Ukraine to allow Storm Shadow missiles to hit targets inside Russia.
Vladimir Putin‘s propagandists and entourage have repeatedly warned that he could use nuclear weapons.
The video shown on Tsargrad’s Telegram channel begins by threatening: ‘Imagine for a moment that the unimaginable happens.
‘A nuclear weapon explodes over London. In this documentary, we explore the devastating consequences of this catastrophe.
‘In the simulation, we will use a warhead with a yield of 750 kilotons. That’s a pretty powerful charge.’
The commentary warns viewers: ‘Upon detonation, a fireball as hot as the sun rapidly expands, reaching a radius of 950 metres’
The simulation of a nuclear strike was broadcast by a staunchly pro-Putin propaganda TV channel
Putin’s propagandists and entourage have repeatedly warned that he could use nuclear weapons
The commentary warns viewers: ‘Upon detonation, a fireball as hot as the sun rapidly expands, reaching a radius of 950 metres [1,039 yards].
‘Anything trapped inside this fireball is instantly vaporised.
‘In our simulation, the epicentre of the explosion is at Westminster.
‘People within that radius won’t even feel anything because the nerve impulse transmission speed is slower.
‘Within 5 km [3 miles] of the epicentre the blast radius city of London, Camden town, Kensington, Brixton these areas will receive the most destruction.’
A ticker on the screen tots up the number of possible fatalities.
‘Buildings will be destroyed and debris will fill the streets, creating extremely dangerous conditions for everyone in the vicinity.
‘Given the population density in central London, the initial death toll could exceed 250,000 people and around 600,000 injured within a radius of 10 km [6.25 miles] the radiation will cause third degree burns.
‘Within that radius anything that can burn will catch fire.
A ticker on the screen tots up the number of possible fatalities
The disturbing simulation shows mass destruction across London in the event of a strike
‘[Petrol] stations, automobiles, power substations, gas infrastructure.
‘Explosive facilities will explode and amplify the effect of the devastation over a huge area, including areas from Camden to Greenwich and Islington to Wandsworth.’
The video claims that ‘according to various estimates, a further 450,000 people will die from burns, debris, injuries or radiation sickness, and over a million will be traumatised.
‘Many of these injuries could prove fatal over the next days and weeks.
‘Radiation sickness in particular will take lives days and weeks later.
‘In time, about 100,000 more will be added to the death toll.’
The video was originally published around three months ago, but was now highlighted by Tsargrad.
It goes on: ‘Within an 18 km [11 mile] radius of the blast, the shockwave will be enough to shatter windows, causing additional casualties to people who come to the windows when they see the nuclear blast.
‘The shockwave will reach Hounslow, Edgware and Enfield.
‘Depending on the wind, the fallout could spread well beyond the immediate blast zone, potentially affecting areas up to five to 10 km away, causing damage even in regions such as Essex or Surrey.
‘The estimated casualties in the event of a 750 kiloton nuclear bomb exploding in London would be about 850,000 people dead and about 2 million injured.
‘If the explosion were to occur on the ground rather than in the air, the fallout map would be greatly expanded and the radioactive fallout could even reach Manchester, infecting people, land and animals.
‘The problem with a nuclear explosion in London is also that London is essentially not designed to survive such a disaster.
The video claims that ‘according to various estimates, a further 450,000 people will die from burns, debris, injuries or radiation sickness, and over a million will be traumatised’
‘Eleven of London’s twenty hospitals would be within the blast.
‘The remaining hospitals would be physically unable to cope with the number of victims
Many people are still alive under the rubble of the buildings suffering burns but no one would be able to help them.
‘Since the creation of nuclear weapons less than a hundred years ago there have been more than 20 incidents where a nuclear-armed country was one-step away from a nuclear catastrophe….
‘Nuclear weapons are a real threat to our future….’
The channel in its report recalled how Putin in 2018 said that in the event of nuclear war: ‘We will go to heaven as martyrs, and they [in the West] will simply die, because they will not even have time to repent.’
Tsargrad said: ‘The President then warned the West that Russia has its own interests, and that it will defend them by all possible and impossible means.
‘Today, a simulator of a 750-kiloton nuclear strike on London was published.
‘At the bottom of the screen is an increasing number of deaths as the strike progresses.’
Other hardline Russian outlets also showed the video.
Tsargrad is controlled by oligarch Konstantin Malofeev, 50, an investment banker and media mogul known as the ‘Orthodox Oligarch’ because of his links to the Russian church.
It is not the first time Russian propagandists have explored the idea of Britain being devastated by a nuclear strike.
Earlier this month, Putin’s media stooges called for Britain to be sunk beneath a radioactive tsunami with its Poseidon ‘superweapon’.
Russian hardline MP Andrei Gurulev sneered ‘swim, swim, swim’ as he demanded the use of Moscow’s unique Poseidon high-speed underwater atomic drone on Britain.
Kremlin propaganda TV on Rossiya-1 channel demanded a ‘critical threat’ from Putin to stop Britain, the US and other Western countries giving permission to Ukraine to use long-range missiles for strikes on Russian territory.
‘There is, of course, a more radical option,’ said Lt-Gen Gurulev, a former tank commander and military strategist. ‘The people of Britain are there, they also want to live a good and happy life at our expense, right?
Russia’s Channel 1 shows a CGI mock-up of Britain being ‘wiped off the map’ with the Poseidon missile
The Belgorod submarine is designed to carry Moscow’s super weapon – the nuclear-powered drones named Poseidon – which Russia claims are capable of causing nuclear tsunamis
‘But if there is no Britain, there is no problem.’
Poseidon – so far not used – is an unmanned nuclear-powered underwater drone with an ‘unlimited range’. Putin sees it as part of his new nuclear arsenal and classifies it a ‘superweapon’.
It is designed to carry strategic nuclear warheads of up to 100 megatons and could unleash catastrophic destruction. It could also be deployed with lesser firepower as a tactical weapon.
Some reports say its underwater speed is up to 115mph, with a capability to operate at depths below 3,000ft. It is due to be ready soon but details of tests remain classified.
The weapon could be unleashed from Russian submarines such as the Belgorod.
It is seen as a weapon without comparison in the world, a hybrid between a nuclear missile and a submarine.