US nuke 24 times more powerful than Hiroshima bomb ‘could kill 300,000’ in blast

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The USA's new nuke which is 24 times more powerful than the infamous Hiroshima bomb could kill over 300,000 Russians if it were dropped on Moscow, an expert has claimed.

The new B61-12 gravity nuclear bomb can carry a yield more powerful than the Hiroshima blast and it was announced by the Department of Defense (DoD) last week.

The US said the B61-13 is intended to "strengthen deterrence of adversaries and assurance of allies" by providing President Joe Biden "with additional options against certain harder and large-area military targets."

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A visual representation of the B61-13 blast was created using online tool Nukemap, which was created by historian of science and nuclear technology Alex Wellerstein.

If the American nuke was dropped on Moscow, with an estimated maximum yield of 360 kilotons of TNT, it would vapourise everything in a half mile radius, and probably kill everyone within a mile radius, Nukemap suggests.

Out of the Russian capital's population of roughly 12.6 million, around 311,000 would die instantly. Newsweek reported that thousands more would die within a month if they were within a two mile radius of the blast, because of exposure to the harmful chemicals in the bomb.

And some 15% of survivors would die of cancer later in life. In total, injuries would number 868,860, Nukemap suggested.

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The bomb would actually be even more deadly if launched on St Petersburg. It would kill an estimated 360,150 and injuring another 685,930, according to the simulation.

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy John Plumb said in a statement that the development of the new bomb "is reflective of a changing security environment and growing threats from potential adversaries."

He added: "The United States has a responsibility to continue to assess and field the capabilities we need to credibly deter and, if necessary, respond to strategic attacks, and assure our allies."

It comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law his country's withdrawal from the global treaty banning nuclear weapon tests, the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).

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• Russia
• United States
• Missiles
• World War 3

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