Cyber terrorism, new precision-guided weapons may cause mistaken launches of ballistic missiles - expert
AMSTERDAM. June 8 (Interfax-AVN) - Such factors as the emergence of new countries developing nuclear weapons and delivery means, new non-nuclear strategic armaments, and the cybernetic exposure of strategic weapons controls may lead to mistaken or accidental launches of ballistic missiles in the future, former Ambassador of Russia to the U.S., member of the International Luxembourg Forum Supervisory Board Vladimir Lukin said.
"Modern delivery means and precision-guided weapons reduce the ability to distinguish between nuclear and non-nuclear weapons, creating a new threat related to nuclear arms. It is extremely difficult to determine what kind of weapons, nuclear or non-nuclear, are used," Lukin said when speaking at The Luxembourg Forum on Wednesday.
Another threat to international nuclear security is the expansion of cyber terrorism into new spheres, Lukin added.
"There are some problems of a cybernetic nature; [that is] when information about the orders given to use weapons could be deliberately corrupted. This is a multi-storey system, and some situations related to a deliberate corruption of this system may arise on each storey. All that is possible now, in the world of economy is also possible in other spheres," Lukin said.
According to him, the 'nuclear club' member states must start elaborating on a package of measures today, in order to help prevent mistaken or accidental launches of ballistic missiles in the future, and also extend the specified time interval for making a decision on a launch.
"Talks should be held both on the bilateral Russian-American level and on the multilateral level of the nuclear nations," Lukin said.
Lukin added that participants of the Luxemburg Forum will contribute to a package of proposals to be swiftly submitted to governments of the countries with largest nuclear weapons stockpiles.
