What Are Tactical Nuclear Weapons, and What if Russia Uses Them?

<p>If President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia follows through on his threats to use a nuclear weapon in Ukraine, he is likely to turn to a specific type.</p><p>Tactical nuclear weapons have a fraction of the strength of the Hiroshima bomb and of the super bombs and city busters that people worried about during the Cold War.</p><p>What exactly are these weapons, how did they develop and what would it mean if Mr. Putin resorted to them in the war in Ukraine?</p><p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/william-j-broad?smid=pc-thedaily">William J. Broad</a>, a science reporter and senior writer for The New York Times. </p><p>Background reading: </p><ul><li>American officials suspect that Mr. Putin is discovering that small nuclear weapons are hard to use, harder to control and<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/03/us/politics/russia-tactical-nuclear-weapons.html"> a far better weapon of terror and intimidation than a weapon of war</a>.</li><li>Amid recent nuclear threats from Russia, President Biden calls “the<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/06/world/europe/biden-nuclear-war-risk.html"> prospect of Armageddon</a>” the highest since the Cuban Missile Crisis.</li></ul><p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily">nytimes.com/thedaily</a>. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. </p>