Isolating oneself to survive is a mechanism deeply rooted in human nature. We saw it during the COVID-19 pandemic and now, with the latent threat of a nuclear war, that instinct resurfaces strongly. But this time social distancing is not enough; Something more tangible is required, an infrastructure capable of resisting the impact of nuclear warheads: bunkers.
Europe is on alert after, in the context of the war with Ukraine, the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, approved this week changes to his country’s nuclear doctrine, which establish the new circumstances under which the Kremlin would consider the use of its atomic arsenal and that, certainly, makes its rules more flexible or relaxed.
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The new criteria for authorizing the use of nuclear weapons come after US President Joe Biden authorized the Ukrainian army to use long-range US missiles against the Russian border region of Kursk.
In this way, and in accordance with the new guidelines, an attack against Russia with conventional missiles, drones or aircraft could be enough for the country to respond with nuclear weapons.
“The lack of communication between the powers is one of the most worrying factors. There is no longer a mechanism like the ‘red phone’ of the Cold War, created to avoid misunderstandings, which increases the risk of errors or misinterpretations that could trigger a nuclear declaration.Carlos Umaña, leader of the International Campaign for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons, told this newspaper, who in 2017 received the Nobel Peace Prize for achieving global support for the adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Kharkiv (Ukraine), 02/09/2024.- A child walks with a family member in front of the entrance to an underground school during the start of the new school year, known as “Knowledge Day”, in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on 02 September 2024, in the midst of the Russian invasion. The underground school, which opened on May 13, 2024, is located not far from the 12-story residential building, which was hit by a Russian missile attack on Aug. 30, 2024, leaving at least six people dead, the chief said. of the Kharkiv Military Administration, Oleg Synegubov, in a telegram. The third school year since the war with Russia began, most schools in Ukraine resumed activities on September 2, except those in territories near the front lines, which will implement online teaching. Knowledge Day is celebrated annually on September 1 as the traditional start date of the new school year, mainly in the former Soviet republics. (Russia, Ukraine) EFE/EPA/SERGEY KOZLOV
The shelters of the apocalypse
Rumors of a Third World War are always fueled when political tensions boil over. It’s not the first time it happens. Since the war began in the Old Continent, fear has skyrocketed. Although it is not the only thing that has done it. The demand for bunkers is also going through a good moment. A report from “The New York Times” points out how an Italian company, at the beginning of the conflict, went from having built 50 of these infrastructures in 22 years to receiving more than 500 queries in two weeks.
The truth is that the fear of a nuclear catastrophe is leading more and more people to see these shelters as a good investment of their money.
And while the primary purpose of a bunker is to keep its residents safe from outside dangers, this doesn’t have to mean hardship. Companies like the Swiss Oppidium offer luxury designs for rich families, so that within each space there can be a mix of homes with gyms, swimming pools, libraries and even an art gallery.
The company’s most affordable bunker, at 7.5 million eurosis a 290 square meter ‘loft’ with two bedrooms and three bathrooms, hidden two meters underground.
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On the other side of the shore, in the United States, too There is a tendency among millionaires to build dens of this type. Mark Zuckerberg, for example, founder of Meta, builds his own refuge of almost 500 square meters, valued at 100 million dollars, on his ranch on an island in Hawaii.
The richest men in the world do not always seek to be underground or locked between concrete walls. Many of them choose to build residences in places like New Zealand.
The country’s scenic beauty and island remoteness have made it a popular choice for elites of Silicon Valley seeking a natural fortress for the apocalypse, a growing fear given the escalation of regional wars and the increasingly visible consequences of climate change.
Prominent figures such as Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon; Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI (creator of ChatGPT); Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal; Larry Page, co-founder of Google; as well as celebrities such as Ivanka Trump or the singer Julio Iglesias have residences in the oceanic country or have contemplated establishing themselves there as a refuge in the event of an eventual apocalypse.
Viral. Reused bunkers are at the former US Army Fort Igloo site. (Photo: Terravivos.com)
Are bunkers really safe?
But how safe are these systems in the event of a large-scale nuclear conflict? Umaña questions the effectiveness of these structures: “According to the scenario proposed by journalist Annie Jacobsen, a large-scale nuclear war could end in 72 minutes. At that time, people would not even know that the war has started. “The bunkers would only be useful to protect themselves from the subsequent chaos, but not from the initial detonation, unless they were already inside,” comments to El Comercio.
“The millionaires who build shelters in New Zealand or Patagonia are betting on areas considered safer from a nuclear winter. However, if they are not near these shelters when the attack occurs, They will not be able to reach them because the collapse of communications and global transportation would make it impossible.”warns Umaña.
However, millionaires are not the only ones concerned about their safety. Governments also have these structures as a priority. Finland has the capacity to shelter approximately 4 million people in about 50,000 shelters.
Switzerland, for its part, has more than 350,000 community bunkers with which it could protect practically its entire population. Nations such as France or Great Britain have several bunkers in their territories that are vestiges of the Cold War, but which are currently out of service. Some of those relics even has been put up for auction.
Of course, not only governments and the rich are interested in protecting their lives in the event of an atomic apocalypse. More and more ordinary people are asking for some type of hiding place in which to take shelter.
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Mathieu Séranne, founder of the French company Artemis Protection, told NYT that, although initially his company was aimed at a wealthy audience (its bunkers cost from half a million dollars upwards), it has had to change its sales strategy as more and more common people are interested.
Séranne mentioned that time he had received about 300 inquiries and was selling dismantled shelters, which are smaller and much cheaper – they cost around $152,000. “to adapt to this new demand.”
On the other hand, according to surveys conducted by ‘Finder‘, about a third of Americans are preparing for a new pandemic, a nuclear crisis or the consequences of global warming. Ordinary citizens spent a staggering $11 billion on survival items between April 2022 and April 2023 alone. Younger adults are the ones driving this behavior, with the generation born after 1997 standing out.
The destiny of Latin America
Although Latin America would not be a likely target of a nuclear attack, the climate effects of a large-scale exchange would be devastating for the region. Umaña explains: “Even a limited exchange of about 100 Hiroshima bombs could reduce global temperatures by 1-1.5°C, which It would affect the cultivation cycles of basic grains such as wheat and corn, triggering mass famines. If the exchange were greater, we would be talking about a nuclear winter with drops of up to 25 °C, collapsing ecosystems and food chains. It would probably be the end of our species.”
Carlos Umaña. Gynecologist specialized in public health. Currently, Umaña co-chairs the International Association of Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War.
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While some governments and millionaires invest in bunkers, Umaña emphasizes that the priority should be to avoid conflict: “The real problem is not building bunkers; It is to prevent us from ever needing them. This requires communication, diplomacy and a global rejection of nuclear weapons. “It is urgent that all countries join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and stigmatize their use as a threat to all humanity.”
The activist declares that we must listen to the stories of survivors of nuclear catastrophes to understand the true devastation caused by these weapons. “We cannot continue to see them as chess pieces on a geopolitical board. “It is necessary to eliminate them once and for all, and for that we need a global rejection that strips nuclear weapons of their aura of privilege.”.
