The Russian federation recently ordered a big batch of Potassium Iodide that was worth five million rubles or $86,000. According to a Russian government agency, Potassium Iodide is a chemical compound mostly used for blocking radioactive material when nuclear accidents occur.
For the procurement procedure, Russia has allocated only four days. On the state of procurement of Russia website, a copy of the order was published. The website stresses on the fact that Russia orders a large batch of Potassium iodide annually for the population.
As a drug, the chemical compound is used to reduce the effects of radioactive iodine in a person’s thyroid gland, and Potassium iodide in most cases will act as protection as high levels of radioactive iodine consumption can increase the risks of thyroid cancer in children and young adults.
But, potassium iodide does not have the capability to protect from other kinds of radiation in other body part areas.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC, in radiation emergencies such as nuclear power plant accidents, Potassium iodide is utilized.
Russian President Putin’s “threats” about Nuclear weapons
As per Kommersant, a Russian media house, both in late December 2020 and early March 2021, Russia had ordered the same amount of Potassium Iodide. Yet, the difference between the previous orders and the current order request is the urgency.
Just last week, in an address to his country, Vladimir Putin, the Russian President threatened to set Moscow’s nuclear weapons free from those “who try to blackmail Russia.”
In a televised address, Putin stated that if his country’s territorial integrity is threatened, without a doubt, we(as in Russia) will use all available means to protect Russia and its people. According to him, the west has crossed every line in its aggressive anti-Russian policy. Putin says his words are not a bluff and whoever dares to blackmail them with the threat of nuclear weapons, then they should know that the weather-van can turn and point towards them anytime.
Sergei Lavrov, the Foreign Minister of Russia later said that Russian military doctrine will apply to all the Ukrainian territories which Russia is looking into annexing through sham polls. The doctrine also lays out rules for the use of nuclear weapons in those areas.
On Tuesday, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev also gave a warning that Putin is not bluffing and his words are to be taken seriously. Later he also challenged the NATO countries’ claims that they will stand with Ukraine if Russia tries to deploy nuclear weapons. He added that the western countries will not directly intervene in the conflict.
Zaporizhzhia, a Ukrainian Nuclear Power Plant is also annexed by the Russian armed forces. In the area, the Moscow army also launched a total of ten S-300 missiles. The Russian army is well known for setting up firing positions in the ZNPP area and has also shelled various Ukrainian cities from them.
According to reports by the state nuclear power company from Ukraine, the Russian military has stored more than a dozen of military hardware including ammunition, explosives, and weapons in the first reactor’s turbine hall. The facility grounds are filled with a total of 40 units of Russian military tools and hardware.
The Russian troops have repeatedly provoked staged shelling near the ZNPP area in August. The first temporary disconnection from the power grid happened on August 26 and was staged by the occupying troops. On September 11, ZNPP again got disconnected, but this time it was due to damaged power lines that connected to the nearby power grid. The damage was caused due to shelling.
Experts believe the tensions are rising in the war-riddled countries of Russia and Ukraine, and the threat of nuclear weapons being deployed is not a ridiculous claim by President Putin. Stocking up on urgent anti-radiation drugs is a smart move by Russia as it will be right in the center of the radiation war. While diplomatic talks are still holding off any real oncoming threat of nuclear weapons, preparation for a plausible situation is entirely believable.
