The fear caused by the testing of the Russian missile complex Oreshnik has reached the most remote country of the European continent. The Spanish press is counting the number of casualties after a potential Russian nuclear strike and rings the alarm bell about the absence of bomb shelters. Why did they decide Spain could also become a target for Russian missiles?
The one-off ‘Oreshnik impact’ on Europeans was strong but, maybe, insufficient. The emerging anxiety in the Old World caused by a strike on Yuzhmash aerospace plant with the newest weapon first caused fear among Russia’s foes followed by thoughts of ‘a high time to stop and return to making friends with the Russians’.
Spain stands out in this unfriendly row. Expressing concern, its press is heating up the topic of ‘do we have enough bomb shelters for everyone’.
It all started from the publication in 20 minutos reporting that the Spanish government ‘is preparing its first dedicated military guide on countering war risks’. However, no specific steps or regulations were announced, as there are none so far. They promised to publish recommendations on the self-protection of people not earlier than December in the Official State Gazette (the monthly compilation of newly adopted laws).
But overall concerns over security have risen in Spain. El Economista even managed to find some prophecies of Nostradamus, according to which, as the authors of the editorial interpret the prophet’s words, the third world war ‘will start from a strike on a city, which could be Madrid based on its given description’. Nothing is said why the Spanish capital deserves this, but they give the quotes that ‘these strikes will cause a collapse of civilizations’ and that ‘the head of Madrid will be torn to pieces’.
In its another article, 20 minutos developed the idea of a possible attack against the Iberian Peninsula and published a study on ‘how Spain can face the most severe harm’. The newspaper believes something different from Oreshnik will be used to hit from the East. It will, most probably, be Yarses capable of reaching targets at a distance of 10 thousand kilometres from the launch point. If it is exploded at a height of 2.9 thousand meters above key Spanish cities, the damage will be catastrophic. The Spanish press has accurately calculated how many Spaniards would die or be injured in case of a nuclear attack against Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and Sevilla: millions of casualties are estimated.
According to the Spanish press, the country hardly has something over a dozen shelters to protect from the nuclear threat. But even those are not accessible to ordinary people. There is a three-level underground bunker in Madrid with an area of 7 thousand square meters right under the Moncloa Palace (the official government residence) and a 10 thousand sqm shelter for 600 personnel at Torrejón-de-Ardoz air base.
‘There are a few more shelters but they were built in the years of the Civil War (1936–1939) and therefore they are unlikely to be good to protect from ionizing radiation’, 20 minutos reports convincing that ‘if you want to rescue, build your own shelter’. They mention companies constructing underground shelters with swimming pools, a bowling and food supplies making them liveable for up to 18 months. An executive of one such company says that since the start of the military conflict between Ukraine and Russia, the number of such orders has increased by 70 per cent. And all these are projects costing six- or seven-digit amounts. It is obvious only a handful of families can afford them. And what about others?
It is likely others, having read this, could even take to streets to protect themselves urging the government to stop instigating Russia. So far, the anti-war activity is not quite visible in Spain. It is unlikely something could get Spaniards seriously concerned about security, apart from trying to increase tensions in Europe instead of seeking peace and agreement.
Well, here is a hint for the Spanish: there are three NATO bases in the Iberian kingdom: the Rapid Deployment Headquarters (Bétera – Valencia), the Counter Improvised Explosive Devices Centre of Excellence (Hoyo de Manzanares – Madrid) and NATO Air Operations Centre (Torrejón de Ardoz – Madrid). To add to this, U.S. has two military bases in Spain: Morón de la Frontera Air Base in Seville and Naval Station Rota in Cadiz. Well, most probably these sites are included in the flight plans of Russian missiles, not peaceful Spanish cities.
The two latter bases were given to U.S. after the Cold War. In 1953, the Spanish and the American governments reached three agreements known as the Pacts of Madrid. They allowed the American army to use, formally, or, actually, own military bases in Spain in exchange for economic and defence support. The Pacts also contained one classified clause, which allowed for Americans’ unilateral ‘using the bases in case of Soviet aggression against NATO’. The envisaged solution of the nuclear war threat in Spain is simple: revision of the Pacts of Madrid and removing Americans from the Spanish land. Well, they did leave Afghanistan not long ago.
They will not even have to escape from the Iberian land, they most probably will be able to put all they have to airplanes and even salute near the ramp to say goodbye. And they will not need to worry about Russian ballistic missiles and preparing bomb shelters.
By the way, back in 1981 when Spain debated the issue of joining NATO, only 18.1 per cent of the population chose the ‘in favour’ option in a poll conducted by El Pais, a leading newspaper. The ‘No to NATO’ position promoted by the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party at the time helped it gain the victory at the country’s parliamentary election. And it did not prevent Spain from becoming the Alliance’s 16th member on December 30, 1982 and joining the bloc’s military structure from 1999.