Since the outbreak of the Ukraine war, President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly threatened to use nuclear weapons, causing concerns about a potential nuclear threat from Russia. Oberst i. G.im Generalstabsdienst Stephan Saalow, Commander of the ABC (Atomic, Biological, Chemical) Defense Command of the German Armed Forces, discusses this issue in an episode of “Nachgefragt”. He emphasizes that while the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) does not possess any nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons, it is well-prepared to mitigate the consequences of their use through the expertise of the ABC Defense Command.
Oberst Saalow highlights that the threat of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons from Russia is ever-present, and the Bundeswehr continually trains its soldiers to respond appropriately in such situations. He references the case of the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal in the UK in 2018 with the nerve agent Novichok as an example of how chemical weapons can be used as assassination weapons. Despite the reduction of biological and chemical weapons since the end of the Cold War, ABC weapons could still pose a threat in the future.
The “Nachgefragt” format, which started after the Ukraine crisis, aims to provide first-hand security policy information to the public. Oberst Saalow emphasizes the importance of the ABC Defense Command in protecting against the devastating effects of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons, and highlights that all soldiers in the Bundeswehr are trained in the basics of ABC defense and have access to protective equipment and antidote autoinjectors.
Overall, Oberst Saalow acknowledges the concerns about a potential nuclear threat from Russia and emphasizes the importance of being prepared to address such threats through training, equipment, and expertise in ABC defense.
https://www.bundeswehr.de/de/aktuelles/meldungen/nachgefragt-gespraeche-zum-ukrainekrieg