An expert in the area has said the nuclear submarine “hasn’t been commissioned yet”.
A nuclear weapon involved in the destruction of Ireland in an animation on Russian State TV is reportedly unavailable.
At the weekend, Russian television host Dmitry Kiselyov spoke about Russia’s nuclear deterrence, which has been put on high combat alert.
While speaking about a potential conflict between NATO and Russia, Kiselyov asked why a country from the British Isles – in this case, the United Kingdom – would speak about retaliatory strikes against Russia when they come from such a small island.
The broadcaster then showed an animation of a nuclear weapon being launched, subsequently wiping out the UK, while the rest of the blast eradicates Ireland along with it.
“This is so small that just one Sarmat missile is sufficient to sink it once and for all,” Kiselyov said.
And then rather more chillingly added: “Everything’s been calculated already.”
It's Sunday night in Russia which means that state TV's Dmitry Kiselyov is talking about Russia using its nukes
This time, with the help of a terrifying cartoon, he claims that "one Sarmat missile is enough to sink the British Isles" (with subs) pic.twitter.com/NqbQfkm6rX
— Francis Scarr (@francis_scarr) May 1, 2022
The host then described “another option”, in which the UK is plunged into the “depths of the sea” using Russia’s unmanned underwater vehicle, Poseidon.
“The explosion of this thermonuclear torpedo by Britain’s coastline will cause a gigantic tsunami wave up to 500 metres high,” Kiselyov said.
“Such a barrage alone also carries extreme doses of radiation.
“Having passed over the British isles, it will turn whatever might be left of them into a radioactive desert, unfit for anything for a long time.”
A second animation highlighting this other option also showed Ireland being erased from a map.
And another nuclear threat to the UK from Russian state TV's Dmitry Kiselyov:
He says his country's Poseidon nuclear underwater drone could cause a tsunami that would "plunge the British Isles into the depths of the sea" and turn them into a "radioactive desert" (with subs) pic.twitter.com/usElgqHeIG
— Francis Scarr (@francis_scarr) May 1, 2022
However, H I Sutton – a writer and analyst who specialises in submarines and sub-surface systems – shared an image on Twitter suggesting that the only Poseidon submarine, Belgorod, is in dry dock and is therefore unavailable.
“Despite Russian State TV threats of destroying UK (and Ireland?) with a Poseidon nuclear torpedo, the only Poseidon submarine is actually in dry dock,” Sutton wrote.
“Image from a few days ago but confident Belgorod is still unavailable. The submarine hasn’t been commissioned yet.”
***UPDATE***
Despite #Russian State TV threats of destroying UK (and Ireland?) with a Poseidon nuclear torpedo, the only Poseidon submarine is actually in dry dock. Image from a few days ago but confident Belgorod is still unavailable. The submarine hasn't been commissioned yet pic.twitter.com/iyqK4nYhYF
— H I Sutton (@CovertShores) May 3, 2022
Meanwhile, on his website, Sutton called the Russian TV segment on the Poseidon nuclear torpedo destroying the UK and Ireland “misleading”, stating it contains “errors and repeats unsubstantiated claims and hyperbole”.
Main image via Francis Scarr/Twitter
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