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

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.

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.

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?

Guest: William J. Broad, a science reporter and senior writer for The New York Times.

Background reading:

• American officials suspect that Mr. Putin is discovering that small nuclear weapons are hard to use, harder to control and a far better weapon of terror and intimidation than a weapon of war.
• Amid recent nuclear threats from Russia, President Biden calls “the prospect of Armageddon” the highest since the Cuban Missile Crisis.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

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