Russian gamers rush to prevent simulated nuclear ‘war’

CNN
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“Be careful! Be careful! they call out Russian words from the horn. “Nuclear bombs will be released in an hour.”

Inside an old Soviet nuclear arsenal, several Russians are racing to protect the United States.

Their goal – Moscow’s latest ambition – is to find the codes to activate the nuclear weapons and disarm the hidden red button, previously pressed by an insane Russian commander.

This is completely fictional, an interactive game set in a former industrial building in the city, inspired by the frightening days of the Cold War.

But given the ongoing tensions between Russia and the West, which have led to a resurgence of nuclear confrontation, it seems eerily close to reality.

“I’m concerned because there’s a lot of nonsense from all sides,” said Maxim Motin, a Russian who just completed playing Red Button Quest.

“I know that the good people in the world don’t want war,” he added.

However, Russian officials have been preparing the country for conflict, heightening concerns about tensions with the West, Russia’s former adversary during the Cold War.

The Russian television channel recently aired a nationwide civil defense exercise, considered the largest in scale since the fall of the Soviet Union. The government claims it is aimed at preparing responses to chemical or nuclear attacks.

The footage shows emergency responders in protective suits and gas masks conducting a civil defense exercise, the largest of its kind since the fall of the Soviet Union. It represents the Kremlin’s emphasis on the seriousness of the risk of war.

The entire conflict between Russia and the West remains dubious, of course.

Experts assert that the principle of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD), which operated as a deterrent during the Cold War, still holds.

However, with the growing conflicts in Syria, Ukraine, and the Baltic states, experts stress the reality of a potential low-level confrontation, escalating tensions between major nuclear powers.

Fyodor Lukyanov, editor of Russia in Global Affairs, a prominent international law journal, stated, “I don’t believe nuclear war will occur.

“But, when two nuclear powers are operating their military systems in close proximity, without proper coordination, anything unplanned could happen,” he told CNN.

The Kremlin appears willing to take this risk, as state television has recently been displaying a more aggressive tone.

During a recent appearance on Russian media, Dmitry Kiselyev – often referred to by the opposition as the Kremlin’s top propagandist – strongly warned of a world war if Russian and US forces clash in Syria.

“Russia’s aggression may involve nuclear weapons,” he stated.

Back in a simulated Cold War bunker, Russian players decrypt launch codes and prevent missile launches. The United States has been saved from this simulated Russian nuclear war.

Let’s hope the real world never experiences such a conflict again.