This past September, Vladimir Putin started the drafting process of hundreds of thousands of troops, annexed 15% of Ukraine, and threatened nuclear war. This move comes after sham referendums were held across the annexed regions. The illegal annexation includes four regions; Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhia, and Donetsk. 

The situation in Ukraine has escalated dramatically this week following Russia’s aggressive actions. The voting results of the referendums in the annexed regions of Ukraine are comical with almost 100% of the vote in each region voting to join Russia. These people didn’t have a choice; Russian soldiers forced citizens to vote. 

The annexation of Ukraine is the largest annexation in Europe since WWII. Putin has vowed to defend the annexed regions by threatening the use of nuclear weapons yet again this week, “our country also has a variety of weapons of destruction.” He would later say that his threat is “not a bluff.” The danger of nuclear war cannot be understated. Ukraine has sent in a bid to join NATO which, if approved, could lead NATO members into WWIII. If Ukraine joins NATO then all of the nations in the agreement must join the war. 

On October 4th, a Russian convoy of suspected nuclear weapons was spotted heading towards Ukraine. Reported by Sky News, the convoy is suspected to be part of Russia’s 12th division, responsible for the handling of nuclear weapons. 

There is a rumor that Russia will conduct a nuclear launch test of the “weapon of the apocalypse” known as Poiseidon; it will be launched from a submarine in the arctic. The 12th divisions convoy and the Poseidon missiles are imminent threats to security.

Reported by PBS, a member of Putin’s inner circle Sergei Karaganov claimed, “I’m 99 percent sure that if a nuclear strike is launched on one of the European countries supporting Ukraine, the U.S. won’t use nuclear weapons.” This opinion could hold true; the Cold War concept of mutually assured destruction would be catastrophic to the global population. The escalation of war by Russia drafting thousands of troops, illegally annexing Ukraine, and threatening the use of weapons of mass destruction affects not only Europe, but the entire planet.