Weapons of the XXI century. Report: Weapons of mass destruction Definition of weapons of mass destruction and their types

The main mistake people make is that they
They fear today's people more than tomorrow's.
Carl von Clausewitz

General information about new types of weapons of mass destruction

CONSIDERING the centuries-old history of mankind from a certain angle, it should be recognized that this is a kind of history of wars and weapons. Each era of world civilization is characterized by corresponding types of weapons. This was determined primarily by the fact that their participants, as a rule, tried to resolve political, economic, ethnic, and religious contradictions by military force. The acceleration of the process of improving weapons has become especially noticeable in the last two centuries, when the combat properties of weapons and their destructive effect began to be determined by the achieved level of science, the results of scientific research, and the emergence of new technologies and materials. This, in turn, naturally determined the corresponding changes in the forms and methods of armed struggle that arose and developed during the conduct of hostilities. In the 20th century, fundamentally new types of weapons appeared on the world stage - chemical, biological, nuclear, capable of causing mass destruction.

The entry of humanity into the third millennium is marked by the exacerbation of an increasingly pressing problem: what is the future fate of world civilization? How to avoid the occurrence of severe cataclysms that could put humanity in danger of losing its immortality? Understanding the reality of the threat of severe consequences of the use of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) initiated a wide movement in the world for the prohibition and complete destruction of all existing types. Real steps have been taken on this difficult path. In 1975, the Convention on the Prohibition of Biological Weapons and the Destruction of All Their Stockpiles came into force. In 1977, the world community adopted a similar convention regarding chemical weapons. A number of Russian (Soviet)-American agreements on the limitation and reduction of nuclear weapons were signed, and an entire class of nuclear weapons - medium-range missiles - was completely eliminated. The world community, concerned about the threat of natural disasters, adopted in 1977 the Convention on the Prohibition of Military and Any Other Hostile Use of Means of Impact on the Natural Environment.

At the same time, the concern of the world community is the continuing deep contradictions caused by the different levels of economic development of countries, the intensifying struggle for sources of raw materials and energy resources, and in the near future, for drinking water supplies, and ensuring environmental safety. Therefore, the question of what paths the further development of means of armed struggle will take is very relevant. What types of weapons can fill the vacuum that will inevitably form after the elimination of currently existing types of weapons of mass destruction? Scientists and military experts point out that in the near future we should expect the emergence of qualitatively new types and systems of weapons, including weapons of mass destruction. According to them, it is already possible to predict the creation of some new types of weapons, which may be based on already known scientific and technical ideas. This is largely facilitated by the fact that to this day there are no international treaties and agreements prohibiting the development and production of new types of weapons of mass destruction, while the need to put a reliable barrier to their creation and proliferation is becoming increasingly obvious.

Understanding of the emerging danger initiated the speech of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the USSR at the 30th session of the UN General Assembly in September 1975 with a proposal that the states of the world community enter into an agreement, the basis of which would be the obligation not to develop or produce new types and new systems of weapons of mass destruction and do not encourage any activity aimed at this. The USSR presented to the UN General Assembly a draft agreement banning the development and production of new types of weapons of mass destruction and new systems of such weapons.

In this regard, the need for a common understanding of the essence and legal definition of the new terminology became obvious. In development of these provisions, the USSR in the spring of 1976 presented a preliminary draft definition of the concept of new types of weapons of mass destruction: “New types of weapons of mass destruction include those types of weapons that are based on qualitatively new principles of operation and the effectiveness of which can be comparable with traditional types of weapons of mass destruction or exceed their". However, during this period, the attention of the world community was focused on the threat posed by the nuclear and chemical arms race, huge reserves of which weakened peace stability and international security, and the new problem did not receive the necessary response from the world community, although its discussion continued in the UN Disarmament Committee.

Since almost all hypothetical types of weapons of mass destruction will be based on dual-use technologies, this situation significantly complicates the problem of their identification, control over their development and production, and makes it difficult to reach an agreement on their ban. Apparently, in each specific case it is necessary to develop a formulation characterizing this military weapon and correlate it with the general definition of weapons of mass destruction. This relationship should not contain internal contradictions. The concept of “scale of destruction” underlying the definition of WMD is very closely related to the concept of “scale of use.” It is known that the Anglo-American air raid on Dresden during World War II killed tens of thousands of people, which is comparable to the results of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In this case, the scale of the use of conventional weapons determined the scale of destruction characteristic of WMD. This classification makes it possible to estimate the approximate extent of damage when using one or another type of weapon and, therefore, the achievement of certain objectives in the conduct of combat operations - strategic, operational-tactical or tactical. The higher the level of tasks being solved, the more grounds there are for classifying this type of weapon as WMD.

Decades will pass, and, speaking in the fall of 2006 at MGIMO, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov admitted with alarm: “The arms race is reaching a new level, there is a threat of the emergence of new types of weapons.” It must be assumed that this statement was initiated by the emergence of information about the development of new weapons capable of destroying strategic stability in the world and undermining the international security system. The use of new types of weapons of mass destruction and even the threat of their use will be aimed primarily at achieving the most important political and economic goals, possibly even without direct contact between the troops of the opposing sides and without conducting combat operations in their traditional sense. This could lead to the abandonment of armed clashes between large armies and the physical destruction of people directly on the battlefield. They may be replaced by slow-acting agents that will have a secretive (latent) damaging effect on the human body, gradually destroy its vitality, undermine the life support system, protection from meteorological and infectious factors, thus leading to its gradual death or long-term failure .

As already mentioned, fundamentally new types of modern weapons appear based on the results of fundamental scientific research and the emergence of new technologies. This is the objective nature of the potential possibility of the emergence of new types of weapons, since it is impossible to stop the progressive development of science, and its consequences can be tragic. Winston Churchill once warned about this: “The Stone Age may return on the shining wings of science.” It is relatively easy to predict the possibility of the emergence of new types of weapons based on already known scientific principles, but which have not yet received their practical implementation, but it is almost impossible to foresee in advance the emergence of weapons, the idea of ​​which does not exist today or is extremely uncertain. At the same time, experts warn that the emergence of new weapons will naturally have a profound impact on the methods and methods of waging war, on the determination of its ultimate goals, and on the very content of the concept of “victory.” When he was Minister of Defense, Marshal of Russia Igor Sergeev pointed out: “The appearance of weapons based on new physical principles, especially at the strategic and operational level, means another qualitative leap in the change in the content and development of forms and methods of armed struggle.”

One of the main goals of conflict resolution in the future may be to influence the enemy’s psychology with the help of certain types of weapons: individual, collective, mass, destruction of public and state institutions, provoking mass unrest, collapse of the state, degradation of society. To achieve victory in these conditions, it will be necessary to know not only the enemy’s armed forces, but also the features of his state-political system, the mechanism for making military-political decisions, the peculiarities of thinking, culture, the reaction of state and military leaders to possible developments of events, their impact on the mentality population. This creates the fundamental possibility of moving from direct confrontation between armies and attempts to quickly destroy enemy manpower and population to methods of covert warfare. A certain selectivity of the impact of some types of such weapons can allow the attacking side to practically eliminate the losses of its troops and at the same time ensure the targeted incapacitation of enemy manpower while preserving material assets, structures, and engineering facilities. The results of the use of some types of weapons of the future may appear quite a long time after exposure, calculated in months and even years, when cause-and-effect relationships are lost.

Historical experience shows that serious efforts to ban a particular type of weapon that causes massive casualties or great suffering to people were made only after it had been used for military purposes and the world community had seen first-hand the dire consequences this led to. Thus came the insight regarding the need to ban chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. However, the use of such a “trial and error” method in relation to new types of weapons of mass destruction at the present time, and even more so in the future, is fraught with far-reaching, serious consequences, possibly irreversible. Therefore, the world community now faces a very difficult, but also extremely urgent task of preventing the development and production of new systems of weapons of mass destruction. The relevance of solving this problem is also explained by the fact that international legal legislation, both in the past and at present, lags behind the pace of improvement of weapons. But even in cases where international legal restrictions and prohibitions on certain types of weapons and their use had already been developed, as a rule, there was no reliable mechanism for monitoring the implementation of these prohibitions.

In the coming decades, we can expect the emergence of new types of weapons of mass destruction, the scientific and technical ideas of which are already known today, and some of them are already being developed. These include the following types of weapons:

• geophysical;
• laser;
• genetic;
• ethnic;
• beam;
• radiofrequency;
• acoustic;
• based on the annihilation of particles and antiparticles;
• dropping an asteroid from orbit;
• informational;
• psychotronic.

There is no doubt that as the natural sciences develop and fundamental discoveries emerge, fundamentally new ideas will appear, on the basis of which new types of weapons can be created. Numerous evidence of the appearance of “unidentified flying objects” (UFOs) show that in this case we are dealing with types of energy that cannot be scientifically explained from the standpoint of modern science. At the same time, it is possible that as scientific and technological progress accelerates, humanity can gradually master these types of energy, which, in turn, can be used for military purposes5.

Brief description of possible types of weapons of mass destruction, the scientific and technical basis of which is currently known

Geophysical weapons

SCIENTISTS Draw attention to the danger associated with the possibility of creating “geophysical weapons”, the basis of which is the use of means that cause natural disasters (earthquakes, rainstorms, tsunamis, etc.), the destruction of the ozone layer of the atmosphere, which protects flora and fauna from harmful radiation from the sun. Geophysical weapons are based on the use of means for military purposes to influence processes occurring in the solid, liquid and gaseous shells of the Earth. In this case, states of unstable equilibrium are of particular interest, when a relatively small “push” can cause catastrophic consequences and the impact on the enemy of enormous destructive forces of nature (“trigger effect”). The atmospheric layer with a height of 10 to 60 kilometers is of particular importance for the use of such means. Based on the nature of their impact, geophysical weapons are divided into meteorological, ozone and climate.

Weather weapons

IN THE NORTH OF ALASKA, 320 km from Anchorage, at the foot of the mountains there is a whole forest of 24-meter antennas, which involuntarily attract the attention of ecologists and meteorological specialists. The official name of the project is "High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program" (HAARP) - Active High-Frequency Research of the Auroral Region Program. According to official statements, this project is intended to study ways to improve radio communications. At the same time, a number of prominent scientists believe that work is being carried out there for military purposes under the leadership of the Pentagon. In particular, scientists believe that with the help of directional antennas, directed beams of high-frequency radio waves are “shot” into the ionosphere, which heat the ionosphere at high altitudes, up to the formation of plasma. This causes energy instability in the ionosphere, which changes the wind pattern and creates difficult-to-predict cataclysms: tsunamis, thunderstorms, floods, snowfalls.

The most studied effect of such weapons is to provoke rainstorms in certain areas. For this purpose, in particular, the dispersion of silver iodide or lead iodide in rain clouds was used. The purpose of these actions may be to impede the movement of troops, especially heavy equipment and weapons, create floods and flood large areas. Meteorological aids can also be used to disperse clouds in the area of ​​the intended bombing to facilitate targeting, especially against point targets. A cloud several thousand cubic kilometers in size, containing energy reserves of about a million kilowatt-hours, can be in such an unstable state that about 1 kilogram of silver iodide is enough to dramatically change it. Several aircraft, using hundreds of kilograms of this substance, are capable of dispersing clouds over an area of ​​​​several thousand square kilometers, causing heavy precipitation. For this purpose, already during the Vietnam War, the United States used the dispersion of silver iodide in rain clouds to create floods, flood vast areas, and break through protective dams.

Work on the creation of meteorological weapons has a long history. Soon after the end of World War II, research began to be intensively conducted in the United States to study the processes occurring in the atmosphere under the influence of external influences: “Skyfire” (the possibility of lightning formation), “Prime Argus” (methods of causing earthquakes), “Stormfury” (controlling hurricanes) . The results of this work were not widely reported, but it is known that in 1961, American scientists conducted an experiment to throw more than 350 thousand two-centimeter copper needles into the atmosphere, which changed the thermal balance of the ionosphere.

It is believed that it was as a result of this that an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.5 occurred in Alaska, and part of the coast of Chile slid into the ocean. A sharp change in thermal processes occurring in the atmosphere can cause the formation of powerful tsunamis. The danger that tsunamis can pose to coastal areas is illustrated by the tragedy that occurred in the states of New Orleans and Louisiana, which were affected by the Katrina tsunami in September 2005. It was a natural disaster, but scientists do not exclude the possibility of creating an equally destructive tsunami near enemy territory by exploding a powerful thermonuclear charge in the ocean at a depth of hundreds of meters. A group of State Duma deputies, alarmed by the growing threat of the emergence of new types of weapons of mass destruction, addressed Russian President V.V. Putin in August 2002 with a statement about the potential danger to humanity of the United States continuing large-scale experiments on the targeted and powerful impact on the near-Earth environment with high-frequency radio waves. In their opinion, “one of the fundamental international legal acts should be the Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Means of Influence on the Natural Environment of May 18, 1977, which should be applied to conducted and planned experiments as having a military orientation.”

Climate weapons

CLIMATE WEAPONS is considered as a type of geophysical weapon, since climate change occurs as a result of interference in the global weather formation processes occurring in the Earth's atmosphere. The purpose of using such weapons could be to reduce agricultural production in the territory of a potential enemy, deteriorate the food supply to its population, and disrupt the implementation of socio-economic programs, which should ultimately lead to the destruction of political and economic structures. As a result of external influence, the desired political and economic changes can be achieved in this country without starting a war in the traditional sense. Some experts believe that a drop of just one degree in the average annual temperature in the mid-latitude region, where the bulk of grain is produced, could have catastrophic consequences. When carrying out large-scale extermination wars for fertile territories with the help of climate weapons, massive losses of the population of large regions can be caused. However, given the deep interconnection of climate processes occurring in different parts of the world, the use of climate weapons will be poorly controlled, which can cause significant damage to neighboring countries, including the country that uses it.

Ozone weapon

AS IS KNOWN, the ozone layer of the atmosphere is in dynamic equilibrium with the environment, which involves the formation of ozone from molecular oxygen under the influence of solar radiation and its decomposition under the influence of various factors associated with human activity: the release of industrial gases into the atmosphere, vehicle exhausts, nuclear testing in the atmosphere, the release of nitrogen oxides from mineral fertilizers and chlorofluorocarbons (freons) from various refrigeration and air conditioning systems. This shows that the ozone layer is quite sensitive to external influences.

Accordingly, ozone weapons can be a set of means (for example, missiles equipped with chemicals such as freons) for artificially destroying the ozone layer over selected areas of enemy territory. The formation of such “windows” will create conditions for the penetration of hard ultraviolet radiation from the Sun with a wavelength of about 0.3 microns to the Earth’s surface. It has a detrimental effect on the cells of living organisms, cellular structures and the hereditary apparatus, causes skin burns, and contributes to a sharp increase in the number of cancers in humans and animals.

It is believed that the most tangible result of the impact will be an increase in population mortality, a decrease in the productivity of animals and agricultural plants in areas over which the ozone layer has been destroyed. Disruption of processes occurring in the ozonosphere may also affect the heat balance of these areas and the weather. A decrease in ozone should lead to a decrease in average temperature and an increase in humidity, which is especially dangerous for areas of unsustainable, critical agriculture. In this area, the ozone weapon merges with the climate weapon.

RF EMP weapons

AMONG NON-NUCLEAR WEAPONS, radio frequency weapons have recently been often mentioned, affecting humans and various technical objects using a powerful electromagnetic pulse (EMP). This was greatly facilitated by the wide distribution in the world of electronic equipment for military and civilian purposes, which solves extremely important tasks, including in the field of security. For the first time, an electromagnetic pulse capable of damaging various technical devices became widely known during the first tests of nuclear weapons in the USA and the USSR, when a new physical phenomenon was discovered - the formation of a powerful pulse of electromagnetic radiation, to which great interest was immediately shown. However, as it soon turned out, EMP was created not only during the process of a nuclear explosion. Already in the 1950s, one of the “fathers” of Soviet nuclear weapons, academician Andrei Sakharov, first proposed the principle of constructing a non-nuclear “electromagnetic bomb”. In this design, the magnetic field of the solenoid is compressed by the explosion of a chemical explosive, resulting in a powerful pulse of electromagnetic radiation.

Soviet experts could not ignore the possibility of the emergence and military use of EMP weapons against the USSR (Russia). An important place in the work on the study of EMP weapons and methods of protection against them belongs to the Institute of Thermophysics of Extreme States of the Russian Academy of Sciences, headed by Academician Vladimir Fortov. V. Fortov emphasized that at the present time, when the troops and infrastructure of many states are saturated with electronics to the limit, and in the future this trend will only increase, attention to the means of destroying them is very relevant. At the same time, he pointed out that although EMP weapons are characterized as “non-lethal”, experts classify them as “strategic” weapons that can be used to disable key objects of the state and military control system, various types of weapons, thus deciding strategic objectives.

In recent years, Russia has made significant progress in the development of stationary research generators that create high values ​​of magnetic field strength and maximum current. Such generators can serve as a prototype of an “electromagnetic gun”, the range of which can reach hundreds of meters or more, depending on what equipment needs to be affected. The current level of technology allows a number of countries to supply their armed forces with various modifications of ammunition with powerful EMP radiation, which can be used during combat operations. During the 1991 Gulf War, to suppress enemy electronic weapons, especially air defense systems, the United States used Tomahawk cruise missiles, which created EMP radiation with a power of up to 5 MW when their warheads were fired. At the very beginning of the war with Iraq, in 2003, an EMP bomb was dropped on the television center in Baghdad, which instantly disabled all the electronic equipment of the television center. Before this, the same bomb was tested in 1999 in Yugoslavia, where it also demonstrated its high effectiveness against electronic systems.

Much attention is also paid to work on creating combat models of such weapons in Russia. The projects "Ranets-E" and "Rosa-E" were successfully carried out at the Moscow Radio Engineering Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences. With the help of the Mobile Microwave Defense System (MMDS) Project, it is planned to ensure the creation of defense of the most important facilities from high-precision weapons. It should include an antenna system, a high-power generator, control and measuring equipment. The entire system must be mounted on a mobile base and ensure the prompt transfer of the Ranets-E system to the desired area. It became known that this weapon will have an output power of over 500 MW, operate in the centimeter range, and emit pulses lasting 10-20 nanoseconds. The Ranza-E microwave gun is designed to hit targets at a range of up to 10 kilometers, providing a circular firing sector. The mass of such a system will exceed 5 tons. The first information about the new weapon was received by visitors to the Russian pavilion of the exhibition in 2001 in Singapore and Lima.

Studies of the effects of electromagnetic radiation on the human body have shown that, even with fairly low intensity EMR irradiation, various functional disorders and changes occur in it. In particular, the detrimental effect of electromagnetic radiation on the disturbance of the rhythm of the heart has been established, according to some scientists, even to the point of cardiac arrest. In this case, two types of effects were noted: thermal and non-thermal. Thermal exposure causes overheating of tissues and organs and, with sufficiently long radiation, causes irreversible pathological changes in them. Non-thermal exposure mainly leads to functional disorders in various organs of the human body, especially in the cardiovascular and nervous systems. The results of tests of microwave weapons on humans, conducted in October 2001 in the United States at Kirtland Air Force Base, turned out to be very characteristic. Rays with a wavelength of 3 mm penetrated the human body only 0.3-0.4 mm, but at the same time, water and blood molecules in the subcutaneous layer began to boil almost instantly. In this case, the person experiences acute pain that exceeds the pain threshold, which forces him to leave the area of ​​microwave radiation as soon as possible.

Laser weapons

Experts from a number of countries have been working on the CREATION of laser weapons for many years, and the results obtained to date give reason to believe that they will soon gain practical significance. As is known, lasers are powerful emitters of electromagnetic energy in the optical range - quantum generators. The damaging effect of a laser beam is achieved as a result of heating the materials of an object to high temperatures, causing them to melt or even evaporate, damage sensitive elements of weapons, blind a person’s organs of vision, up to irreversible consequences, and cause severe damage in the form of thermal burns to the skin. For the enemy, the effect of laser radiation is characterized by suddenness, secrecy, the absence of external signs in the form of fire, smoke, sound, high accuracy, straightness of propagation, and almost instantaneous action. It is possible to create land-, sea-, air- and space-based laser combat systems for various purposes with varying power, range, rate of fire, and ammunition. Low- and medium-power laser systems are planned to be used to disable control points, weapon guidance equipment, and to blind tank crews, car drivers, helicopter pilots, and gun crews. High-power laser weapons are being tested for use in systems to combat enemy aircraft and missiles.

In support of the above, it should be noted that for many years the United States has been developing laser rifles that emit a thin, low-energy beam. This rifle can hit targets at a distance of up to 1.5 km. A shot from such a gun is practically invisible and inaudible. If the beam enters the eyes, it causes damage to the visual organs of varying degrees of severity, up to complete blindness. The different types of safety glasses used provide protection only from certain wavelengths. To comprehensively study the damaging effects of laser radiation and methods of protection against it, more than a thousand tests were carried out in the United States back in the mid-1950s.

Experts, not without reason, believe that the greatest use of laser weapons will be associated with the creation of large-scale missile defense of US territory. In 1996, the United States began creating airborne laser weapons ABL (Airborne Laser), designed to destroy missiles in the flight path, especially in the acceleration area, where they are most vulnerable. A powerful laser system with a fuel supply of tens of tons will be placed on board a Boeing 747. If a crisis situation arises, the Boeing will take off and will patrol at an altitude of 10-12 km, having the ability to detect an enemy missile within a few seconds and defeat it at a range of up to 300-500 kilometers. The full test program is planned to be completed in the near future with the goal of creating a squadron of seven such aircraft by 2009. In February 2000, one of the leading military-industrial consortiums, Martin-Boeing-TRW, signed a contract with the Pentagon providing for the development of the main elements of a space laser station with the expectation of carrying out full-scale tests in 2012. Completion of the full cycle of work on creating a space-based combat laser is planned for 2020. In conclusion, it should be pointed out that the range of possible uses of laser weapons is very wide and diverse, and specialists, apparently, will more than once have the opportunity to encounter various methods of their use and objects of destruction.

Acoustic weapons

WHEN CONSIDERING THE PROBLEMS OF creating and damaging effects of acoustic weapons, it should be taken into account that in general, they cover three characteristic frequency ranges: infrasonic - the frequency range below 20 hertz (Hz), audible - from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. For frequencies above 20 kHz the term "ultrasound" is used. This gradation is determined by the characteristics of the impact of sound on the human body, and above all on his hearing aid. It has been established that hearing thresholds, levels of pain and other negative effects on the human body decrease with increasing sound frequency from several hertz to 250 Hz.

In recent years, a wide range of work has been carried out in the United States in the field of non-lethal weapons (NLW), including acoustic weapons, which is carried out at the Army Research, Development and Maintenance Center (ARDEC) at the Pakatinny Arsenal (New Jersey). A number of projects to create devices that generate acoustic "bullets" emitted by large-diameter antennas have been carried out by the Scientific Research and Application Association (SARA) in Huntington Beach, California. According to the creators of the new weapon, it should expand the possible range of use of military force not only on the battlefield, but also in a number of situations that may arise during police or peacekeeping operations. Research is underway to create infrasound systems using large loudspeakers and powerful amplifiers. SARA and ARDEC are working together to develop high-power, low-frequency acoustic weapons designed to protect U.S. institutions overseas.

To destroy troop personnel located in bunkers, shelters and combat vehicles, acoustic “bullets” of very low frequencies were tested, formed by the superposition of ultrasonic vibrations emitted by large antennas. According to American experts in the field of “non-lethal weapons”, Russia is also carrying out a complex of work in the field of acoustic weapons and quite impressive results have been obtained. They, in particular, stated that Russia had created an operating device that generated an infrasonic pulse with a frequency of 10 Hz, “the size of a baseball,” the power of which was supposedly sufficient to inflict severe damage on a person at a distance of hundreds of meters.

The use of infrasound waves with a frequency of several hertz can have a strong effect on the human body. The insidiousness of this weapon also lies in the fact that infrasonic vibrations, which are below the level of perception of the human ear, can cause an unconscious state of anxiety, despair and even horror. According to some experts, exposure to infrasound radiation in people leads to epilepsy, and with significant radiation power, death can be achieved. Death can occur as a result of a sharp disruption of the functions of individual human organs, especially when they resonate with sound vibrations. This leads to damage to his cardiovascular system, destruction of blood vessels and internal organs. According to experts, by selecting a certain frequency of radiation, it is possible, for example, to provoke massive manifestations of myocardial infarction among military personnel and the enemy population. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the ability of infrasonic vibrations to penetrate concrete and metal barriers, which undoubtedly increases the interest of military specialists in these weapons.

At the same time, it should be pointed out that there is no consensus among scientists in assessing the damaging effect of acoustic weapons on humans. Such disagreements are confirmed by the results of examining the destructive effects of various types of non-lethal weapons, in particular, obtained by the very reputable German company Daimler-Benz Aerospace. The diverse, often contradictory results of the damaging effects of acoustic weapons they obtained determine the need to conduct a wide range of further scientific and experimental studies.

Information weapon

CONSIDERING THE PROBLEM of information weapons, one should immediately pay attention to the very broad content of this concept, which covers a fairly wide range of methods, means and methods of struggle. At the heart of this confrontation are the actions and reactions of the parties in the information sphere, which together have a defensive and offensive nature. During military operations, the warring parties strive to destroy the enemy’s information sphere and protect their own as much as possible. According to the definition of Russian experts, it is advisable to call this component of military counteraction “information warfare.” Information warfare will begin immediately with the start of hostilities or even precede them, going simultaneously in several directions at once: electronic warfare, active reconnaissance, disorganization of command and control systems for troops and weapons, disinformation of the enemy, conducting psychological operations against enemy troops and populations, the use of software and hardware influence, the use of highly qualified hackers to open and disrupt the automated system of state and military control, etc.

When planning and conducting information warfare, psychological operations (PsyOps) are carried out, which can have different scales. The main objectives when carrying out operations of a strategic scale are: discrediting the foreign and domestic policies of the state, the socio-economic situation of the population, exacerbation of ethnic contradictions, distortion of historical heritage, inciting religious hatred among representatives of various faiths, creating defeatist sentiments in the minds of the population, all kinds of encouragement of antisocial acts and etc. In information operations at the operational-tactical level, the main focus is to undermine the morale of military personnel and the moral fortitude of the population, especially in areas adjacent to the combat zone, reducing the combat potential of troops, supporting opposition elements in the enemy’s ranks, encouraging the population to carry out acts of civil disobedience, encouraging desertion among military personnel.

Outstanding military leaders of the past already long ago realized that a clear and well-understood explanation to the enemy soldiery masses of convincing arguments about the futility and destructiveness of further resistance could give a positive result. During the Italian campaign of Alexander Suvorov, his appeal to the enemy troops with an explanation of the difficult situation in which they found themselves led to the fact that the opposing troops of the Piedmontese army went over to the side of the Russians in entire units and units. Napoleon also attached great importance to conveying the necessary (often false) information to the enemy. Already at that time he had a mobile printing press with a capacity of 10 thousand leaflets per day. It was his catchphrase: “Four newspapers can cause more harm than an army of one hundred thousand.” The possible scale of the psychological offensive can be judged from the experience of World War II, when the Western allies used a huge amount of propaganda material against the armies of the Hitlerite coalition: Great Britain dropped 6.5 billion leaflets, and the United States - 8 billion.

The rapid development of the media, especially television and the Internet, creates objective preconditions for increasing their use for military purposes. It is known that recently the global Internet has covered about 1 billion users in more than 150 countries. It can be predicted that in the future the battlefield will increasingly move into the intellectual realm, affecting the minds and feelings of millions of people. By placing space relays in near-Earth orbits, using the great potential capabilities of television and the Internet, an aggressor country can develop and, under certain conditions, carry out a scenario of a round-the-clock information war against a particular state, trying to blow it up from the inside. Provocative programs will be designed not for the mind, but primarily for the emotions of people, for their least protected sensory sphere, which is much more effective, especially when the political culture of the population is low, poorly informed and unprepared for such a war.

Dosed delivery of ideologically and psychologically processed provocative material, skillful alternation of truthful (“credit of trust”) and false information, skillful editing of details of various real and fictitious explosive situations can turn into a powerful means of psychological offensive. It can be especially effective against a country in which there is social tension, interethnic, religious or class conflicts. Carefully selected information, falling on such favorable soil, can in a short time cause panic, riots, pogroms, and destabilize the political situation in the country. In this way, you can force the enemy to capitulate without the use of traditional weapons.

As an example of the use of the Internet in the field of information and psychological influence, one should recall Operation Support for Democracy in Haiti in 1994-1996. The widespread use of telephone calls to military personnel urging them not to resist American troops was accompanied by the transmission of threats to members of the government of this country who had personal computers. During the 1999 fighting against Yugoslavia, NATO troops attacked the system of television and radio transmitters, putting them out of action. At the same time, at the direction of Washington, the Internet system was preserved in order to transmit the “necessary” information to the population of the country.

Back in the mid-1990s, reports appeared about virus No. 666, which has the ability to have a profound negative impact on the psychophysiological state of computer operators, up to their failure. This virus displays a specially selected image on the screen that puts a person into a hypnotic trance. In this case, the calculation is made that the subconscious perception of the image will cause a sharp change in the activity of the cardiovascular system, up to blocking the blood vessels of the brain. The results of such exposure can be extremely dangerous when affecting operators of the state and combat control systems.

Genetic weapon

THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT of molecular genetics in the 60-70s of the twentieth century made it possible to carry out the recombination of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) - the carrier of genetic information. Using genetic engineering methods, it has become possible to separate genes and recombine them to form recombinant DNA molecules. Based on these methods, it is also possible to carry out gene transfer using microorganisms, to ensure the production of potent toxins of human, animal or plant origin. By combining various bacteriological and toxic agents, it is possible to create biological weapons with an altered genetic apparatus that has a high lethality. Based on the introduction of genetic material with pronounced toxic properties into virulent bacteria or human viruses, it is possible to obtain bacteriological weapons capable of causing mass deaths in the affected regions.

Scientists assume that by 2010-2015 genetic engineering will achieve very significant results in the field of molecular biology, which will, among other things, reveal the mechanism of action of toxins and ensure the production of toxic products that can be used as weapons. This could create a fundamentally new strategic situation, when the main goal of a “genetic” war on the part of some countries is not the destruction of the enemy’s armed forces, but the elimination of its population, which is declared “surplus.” According to experts, this could radically change the global geopolitical and geostrategic situation, which, in their opinion, will be similar to the beginning of the atomic era of the 40-50s of the last century.

Scientists believe that a new strategic feature in the development of the international security system, which will become increasingly stronger over time, is the gradual transition of the world community from traditional armed conflicts using the most modern technology and weapons to unique “genocidal” wars. Statements about such wars began to be heard among individual representatives of the leadership of some countries. For the military-political leadership of the United States, taking into account the birth rate of various population groups and the emergence of various types of inevitable natural disasters (the example of New Orleans), it is envisaged to ensure, first of all, the preservation of the white English-speaking population, although they try not to openly focus on this.

American writer Tom Hartman, in his discussions, refers to the report "Rebuilding America's Defenses: Strategy, Forces and Resources for the New Century." The report addresses the challenge of fundamental changes in the forms and methods of warfare in the future. A further revolution in military affairs will determine a diverse approach to warfare in specific conflict situations, ensuring victory is achieved through unconventional means, in the conduct of which any potential enemy will inevitably lag behind the United States. At the same time, information has already appeared that in the US national laboratories - Oak Ridge, Livermore and some others - the genetic consequences of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were carefully studied, a significant contribution was made to the refinement of the well-known international project "Human Genome", and the beginning of an even more large-scale research under the "Genome for Life" program. It should be noted that the development of modern science has already crossed a critical line in ensuring the security of the world community. This means that, in the extreme case, a compact group of researchers can create a “scientific product” that can cause enormous damage to humanity. This is the particular danger of the creation and use of genetic weapons, including from international terrorism.

Ethnic weapons

STUDYING the natural and genetic differences between people, blood composition, and the fine biochemical structure of the body of representatives of various ethnic groups has given some scientists the idea of ​​using these features to create so-called ethnic weapons. According to scientists, such weapons will be able to target certain ethnic groups of the population with special agents and be indifferent to others. The basis of such selectivity will be differences between people in blood groups, skin pigmentation, and genetic structure. Research in the field of ethnic weapons can be aimed at identifying the genetic vulnerabilities of certain ethnic groups and at developing special agents designed to effectively exploit these characteristics. This means, for example, that the use of specially created biological agents that act selectively in relation to carriers of different DNA for infection in a city with a mixed multinational population may not be felt by people at first. However, over time, the effects of exposure will affect representatives of certain categories of the population. They may develop severe chronic diseases, experience a shortened life span, and lose the ability to have offspring. This will actually lead to the gradual extinction of a certain ethnic group in an area exposed to special bioagents.

According to the calculations of one of the famous American doctors, R. Hammerschlag, ethnic weapons can defeat 25-30% of the population of a country attacked with these weapons. Let us recall that such population losses in a nuclear war are considered “unacceptable”, in which the country suffers defeat. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that in order to wage an ethnic war, a scrupulous analysis of the DNA of ethnic groups and determination of the differences between them is necessary.

Information has emerged that some time ago a group of Israeli scientists was considering the possibility of waging an ethnic war against their neighbors, the Palestinians. If successful, they hoped to thus rid Israel of its “restless” neighbors. However, the studies they conducted were disappointing. They showed that both peoples descend from the same ancestors and therefore have an identical genetic apparatus. Consequently, by unleashing an ethnic war against the Palestinians, Israel would simultaneously strike at the Jewish population.

Assessing the international situation in the world, one cannot exclude the emergence of the secret production of ethnic weapons by some terrorist groups possessing nanotechnology (for example, Aum-Shinrikyo) and their use in the name of certain economic and political goals.

Beam weapon

The damaging factor of a beam weapon is a highly directed beam of charged or neutral particles of high energy - electrons, protons, neutral hydrogen atoms. A powerful flow of energy carried by particles can create intense thermal effects, mechanical shock loads, and initiate X-ray radiation in the target material. The use of beam weapons is distinguished by the instantaneousness and suddenness of the damaging effect. The limiting factor in the range of this weapon is the gas particles in the atmosphere, with the atoms of which accelerated particles interact, gradually losing their energy. The use of beams of charged particles is also complicated by the fact that when they move between charged particles, repulsive forces act.

The most likely targets of destruction may be manpower, electronic equipment, various military equipment systems, ballistic and cruise missiles, aircraft, spacecraft, etc. According to American scientists, the use of particle beams to destroy launch vehicles will require an increase in the accelerating voltage, pulse duration and average power by one to two orders of magnitude compared to the values ​​already achieved, which creates serious difficulties in the use of such weapons.

Work on the creation of beam weapons gained the greatest scope after the proclamation of the SDI program by President Reagan. The Los Alamos National Laboratory became the center for scientific research in this area. Experiments at that time were carried out on the ATS accelerator, then on more powerful devices.

Experts believe that such neutral particle accelerators can become a reliable means of selecting enemy attack warheads against the background of a “cloud” of false targets. Research on the creation of beam weapons based on charged particles is also being conducted at the Livermore National Laboratory. According to scientists, successful attempts were made there to obtain a flow of high-energy electrons, the power hundreds of times greater than that obtained in research accelerators. In the same laboratory, as part of the Antigone program, it was experimentally established that the electron beam propagates almost perfectly, without scattering, along an ionized channel previously created by a laser beam in the atmosphere, which makes it possible to significantly increase the destructive range of this weapon. Beam weapon installations have large mass-dimensional characteristics and therefore can be created either as stationary ones or on special mobile equipment with heavy lifting capacity. This creates certain restrictions on their combat use.

Removing asteroids from orbit

HOW FAR the search for new means of mass destruction can go is evidenced by theoretical studies conducted by some US scientists back in the 1960s, which considered a literally fantastic project to shift one of the asteroids moving between Earth and Mars from its orbit. It was assumed that the removal of an asteroid from its orbit could be carried out using explosions of powerful nuclear charges in a charging chamber specially created on the surface of the asteroid. When the charge explodes, the asteroid will receive a powerful reactive impulse, which will transfer it into an orbit that intersects the trajectory of the Earth. In this case, based on modeling, an asteroid can fall onto enemy territory. During the collision of an asteroid with the Earth, energy will be released equivalent to the explosion of many thousands of nuclear charges, capable of destroying an entire continent.

Of course, the practical use of such a means of destruction is hardly possible and it is of purely theoretical interest, demonstrating the possible limits of the search for weapons, as well as the potential consequences of a collision of the planet Earth with one of the celestial bodies. In recent decades, scientists have paid attention to the potential for a meteorite to collide with the Earth. If such a threat is detected, the probability of which is extremely low, but its cost for world civilization is unacceptably high, the inverse problem will be solved - preventing a collision using nuclear explosions on the surface of an asteroid, although the success of such an operation is highly controversial. However, to date no one has been able to propose a more effective way to combat this threat.

Weapons based on the annihilation of particles and antiparticles

THEORETICAL RESEARCH in the field of nuclear physics, carried out in the first half of the twentieth century, showed the fundamental possibility of the existence of antimatter. Subsequently, the existence of antiparticles (for example, positrons) was proven experimentally. It turned out that the interaction of particles and antiparticles releases a significant amount of energy in the form of photons. According to scientists' calculations, the interaction of 1 milligram of antiparticles with matter releases energy equivalent to the explosion of several tens of tons of trinitrotoluene. This makes it very tempting to create weapons of enormous destructive power based on antimatter. However, despite the enormous efforts of scientists, nature diligently guards its secrets, which stand in the way of creating a fundamentally new type of weapon. Currently, the process of obtaining and preserving antiparticles is very complex. It is known that attempts are being made at the European Nuclear Research Center to contain antiparticles at low temperatures in bubbles of liquid helium. These difficulties make it very problematic to create weapons of mass destruction based on antimatter in the foreseeable future.

Psychotronic weapon

IN RECENT YEARS there has been widespread interest in research in the field of bioenergetics related to the so-called paranormal capabilities of humans. In a number of countries, work is underway to create various technical devices based on the energy of the biofield, that is, the specific field that exists around a living organism. Research into the possibility of creating such a weapon is being conducted in several directions: extrasensory perception - perception of the properties of objects, their condition, sounds, smells, thoughts of people without contact with them and without the use of ordinary senses; telepathy - transmission of thoughts at a distance; clairvoyance (far vision) - observation of an object (target) located outside the limits of visual communication; psychokinesis - influencing physical objects with the help of mental influence, causing their movement; telekinesis is the mental movement of a person whose body remains at rest. Scientists identify four main areas of military applied research in the field of bioenergy.

1. Development of methods for deliberately influencing human mental activity in order to create an “army of a new era.” For this purpose, the issues of training soldiers in meditation methods, developing their ability for extrasensory perception and magic, and hypnotic techniques were studied.

2. An in-depth study of paranormal phenomena that are of greatest interest from the point of view of military use - clairvoyance and telekinesis. Experiments have been conducted to study a person's ability to observe objects that are outside the limits of visual communication. The scope of application of this phenomenon is very wide: on a strategic scale, it is possible to penetrate into the main command and control organs of the enemy troops to become familiar with his plans.

Using psychokinesis to destroy military command and control systems. A person’s ability to emit a certain type of energy is confirmed by a photograph of a person’s radiation field (Kirlian effect).

3. Study of the influence of bio-radiations on control and communication systems, electronic equipment, as well as the development of artificial energy generators to influence enemy personnel and population in order to create abnormal mental states in them. Some research in this direction has been carried out to determine the ability of people with paranormal abilities to interfere with the operation of computers.

4. Development of systems for detecting and monitoring artificial and natural hazardous radiation, as well as methods of active and passive protection against them. The creation of technical devices for detecting bio-radiations and research into issues of bio-energetic interaction between people continues. There are statements in the Western press that psychotronic weapons already exist, although their potential capabilities have not yet been determined and many scientists express serious doubts about the effectiveness of such weapons.

Even a brief analysis of the possible prospects for the emergence of new types of weapons of mass destruction shows their deep danger to the world community. According to some scientists, the development of modern science has already crossed a critical line in ensuring the security of the world community. Therefore, it is necessary to closely monitor work in this area (especially in the field of dual technologies) in order to take appropriate preventive measures through the UN to prevent the emergence of a new threat. The leading countries of the world need to come up with broad international initiatives to create a legal mechanism that reliably prevents the creation of new types of weapons of mass destruction.

Vyacheslav Prokofiev

The outgoing 20th century leaves humanity with huge mountains of weapons capable of destroying life on Earth more than once. People are increasingly making concerted efforts to reduce weapons stockpiles, or at least reduce the risk of their use, to give newly developed weapons a more “humane” appearance by increasing the selectivity of targets hit, reducing the negative impact on unplanned objects and the environment. This is the origin of the observed desire to develop non-lethal and other means of influencing the enemy, forcing him to accept the opponent’s conditions without the large-scale use of military force. And among these means, information warfare means are increasingly being called.

Despite the variety of types of weapons, they all have a destructive effect primarily on manpower, various objects, and the natural environment with the help of one form or another of energy, which underlies the action of any type of weapon. Thus, all means of armed warfare, including weapons of mass destruction, depending on the type of influence used to destroy manpower and objects, can be divided into four groups: physical, chemical, biological and social.

The physical group includes all types of weapons based on the principle of explosive action: these are nuclear weapons, as well as the widest class of ammunition based on explosives, particles and radiation (missiles, shells, bombs, mines, land mines, etc.). The most dangerous of them nuclear weapon- weapons of mass destruction, based on the use of intranuclear energy released during chain reactions of fission of heavy nuclei of some isotopes of uranium and plutonium or during thermonuclear reactions of fusion of light nuclei of hydrogen isotopes (deuterium and tritium). The main damaging factors of nuclear weapons: shock wave, light radiation, penetrating radiation, radioactive contamination, electromagnetic pulse. The use of nuclear weapons is fraught with catastrophic consequences for all humanity, so efforts are being made to limit their proliferation and reduce stockpiles and delivery means. However, the number of members of the “nuclear club” is steadily expanding, which objectively increases the likelihood of nuclear conflicts.

Chemical weapon based on the use of toxic (commonly poisonous, nerve-paralytic, blister and other) chemicals (poisonous substances). This type of weapon can be used for mass destruction of troops and the population, contamination of terrain, military equipment and materiel. The use of chemical weapons is prohibited the Geneva Protocol of 1925 and the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and their Destruction, signed in 1993 in Paris, which was joined by more than 140 states. Recently, some chemicals have been considered among non-lethal means of destruction for incapacitating manpower (psychotropic and irritant types), as well as weapons and military equipment by quickly thickening fuel, destroying the anti-friction properties of oils and lubricants, destroying load-bearing structural elements and rubber products. etc. But in this case, chemical weapons from WMD are automatically transferred to the category of weapons of local action.

Bacteriological (biological) weapons- one of the types of weapons of mass destruction, capable of causing mass illness or death of people, animals and plants with the help of bacterial (biological) agents. The use of bacteriological weapons is prohibited Geneva Protocol of 1925 and the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) Weapons and on Their Destruction, which has been ratified by more than 100 states. However, just like chemical weapons, they are considered for use as non-lethal means of limited action for the functional destruction of weapons and military equipment (destruction of semiconductors and insulating materials, transformation of liquid and solid fuels, lubricants and other materials into unusable ones).

If the first three groups of influences are known and do not require explanation, then the group of social defeat today is interpreted in a very broad sense and requires clarification. It seems logical to divide social impact into material and spiritual. Material can include all types of impact on the conditions of life support and existence of the state, population and troops. This is a wide range of events of an economic, financial, food and other nature, turning in modern society into a kind of quasi-weapon- the state can be brought to its knees by introducing an embargo on essential goods, raw materials, food, fuel, by unbalancing its financial system, etc. - i.e. by achieving socio-material defeat state structures. Spiritual influence includes everything that affects the spiritual climate of a people, a nation, a collective, its spiritual heritage, its age-old foundations, its intellectual and creative potential. This is deideologization, demoralization and deculturization of society, implemented through artificially organized educational events in the field of art, science, education, literature, the media, i.e. through all possible channels of influence on the process of educating and informing people - something that is now generally attributed to a greater extent to the information sphere of the state. The latter is nothing more than information impact carried out with the help of information weapons, which is understood as a set of information technologies, methods and means information impact intended for information warfare .

In the literature (for example,) there are two types of information warfare: information-technical and information-psychological. In information and technical warfare, the main objects of influence and protection are information and technical systems (communication systems, telecommunication systems, radio-electronic equipment, etc.), which are affected by means of software and mathematical influence (viruses, special bookmarks, interference, etc. .). In information-psychological warfare, such objects are the psyche of the personnel of the Armed Forces, special services and the population of the opposing sides; systems for forming public opinion and making decisions. Here the weapons are: traditional methods influence on the opinions, moods, feelings of people (misinformation, emphasizing the positive aspects of the problem and hushing up the negative ones, alternating true information with false information, etc.), and non-traditional information technologies with a highly effective impact on the psyche of the masses. Many authors include such means psychotronic weapon, considered by some of them as the result of research in the field of bioenergy related to the creation of various technical devices based on the energy of the biofield that exists around a living organism. The possibility of creating psychotronic weapons on this basis is also linked to the use of extrasensory perception, telepathy, clairvoyance, psychokinesis and telekinesis. In the work, psychotronic weapons are considered as one of the components psychophysical weapons, including psychotropic drugs, psychotronic weapons, suggestive methods, as well as various combinations of these means and methods of influencing the human psyche with the aim of modifying it in a given direction. In turn, psychophysical weapons are considered as one of the branches of information weapons.

What place does information weapons occupy among known and hypothetical types of weapons that may appear in the arsenal of armies at the beginning of the 21st century? Naturally, it is impossible to compare with all types of weapons being developed in numerous laboratories around the world. Therefore, we will limit the comparison to only the most dangerous types, which in their destructive ability reach the level of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), adhering to the following definition of WMD given to them by the UN Commission: “Weapons intended for mass destruction must be given a definition that includes atomic weapons explosive weapons, weapons operating with radioactive materials, chemical and biological means of destruction and any other weapons that will be invented in the future, having properties similar in destructive effect to the atomic bomb and other types of weapons listed above” (UN Reports C3 /32 dated December 1, 1948).

Along with those already mentioned nuclear, chemical and bacteriological (biological), scientists classify new types of weapons of mass destruction as geophysical, laser, genetic, ethnic, radio frequency, infrasonic, based on the annihilation of particles and antiparticles, asteroid dumping, radiological and information weapons. Some experts add to this list beam weapon .

Geophysical weapons based on the use of means for military purposes to influence processes occurring in the solid, liquid and gaseous shells of the Earth. Using the unstable states of these shells, with the help of a small “push” the catastrophic effects of the enormous destructive forces of nature are caused. Geophysical weapons include means that can stimulate earthquakes, the occurrence of huge waves such as tsunamis, changes in thermal conditions or the destruction of the ozone layer over certain areas of the planet. Based on the nature of their impact, geophysical weapons are sometimes divided into meteorological, ozone and climate. Weather weapons already used by the Americans during the Vietnam War. Then, with the help of dispersing silver iodide or lead iodide in rain clouds, heavy rains were provoked, complicating the movement of equipment and troops, flooding large areas, worsening the living conditions of the population. Climate weapons capable of influencing weather formation processes, reducing the enemy’s agricultural production and thereby influencing the development of economic and political situations in the country of influence. Ozone weapon is a set of means for destroying the ozone layer over enemy territory and thereby allowing hard ultraviolet radiation from the Sun to penetrate to the surface of the Earth, which has a detrimental effect on the cells of living organisms and plant yields, causes skin burns, contributes to a sharp increase in diseases, and disrupts the thermal balance of the affected area. The ozone weapon seems to be linked to the climate weapon. The use of both can cause harm to neighboring countries and the country that uses them. Considering the catastrophic nature of the consequences of the use of geophysical weapons, their use is recognized by international law as a crime against humanity, which is enshrined Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Impact Techniques, adopted by the UN in 1977.

Laser weapons strikes objects with a powerful beam of coherent radiation in the optical range, causing melting (evaporation) of metal, damage to sensitive elements and optics of reconnaissance and sighting systems, missile homing heads, blinding and thermal burns of military personnel. Due to their low efficiency, high-power lasers are bulky and heavy structures that have not yet been implemented as combat weapons. Therefore, the latter are mentioned in the press as relatively low-energy devices for interfering with weapons and military equipment, as well as for disabling surveillance, reconnaissance and weapon guidance devices and operators. In this regard, it seems premature to classify laser weapons as weapons of mass destruction.

Genetic weapons (including ethnic weapons) owes its appearance to the rapid development of molecular genetics. The destructive effect of this weapon is based on the recombination of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), the carrier of genetic information. With the help of genetic engineering, it became possible to separate genes and their subsequent recombination to form new DNA molecules with properties changed in the desired direction. By introducing such genetic material with pronounced, for example, toxic properties into virulent bacteria or human viruses, one can obtain an extremely dangerous bacteriological weapon of selective action. Such selectivity will be based on differences in blood groups, skin pigmentation, and genetic structure. Genetic weapons can affect some ethnic groups of the population, while remaining indifferent to others (ethnic weapons). In terms of destructive effectiveness, such weapons, according to experts, are comparable to thermonuclear ones. Like the latter, it causes massive loss of life and can be classified as a barbaric type of weapon; due to its low efficiency, radio frequency weapons cannot yet be put into practice, especially as weapons of mass destruction. At the same time, as experiments show, even low-intensity EMR, comparable to the permissible level of radiation equal to 10 μW, can lead to functional disorders in various organs of the human body and have a detrimental effect on the human psyche. In this regard, it is advisable to classify low-intensity radiofrequency weapons as psychotronic drugs.

Infrasonic weapons based on the use of sound waves in the infrasound range, which are not perceptible to the human ear. It has been experimentally established that by selecting the frequency of sound vibrations in the region of 10 Hz, it is possible to influence a person, causing him discomfort (feelings of anxiety, fear, horror), damage to the cardiovascular system, destruction of blood vessels and internal organs. Due to a number of intractable technical, operational and ethical problems, the development of powerful infrasonic weapons systems is being hampered. At the same time, the properties of low-intensity infrasound to specifically interact with biological organisms are of increased interest among potential creators of psychotronic drugs.

Antimatter Weapons theoretically can be created using the effect of annihilation of antiparticles with matter. According to physicists' calculations, the interaction of 1 milligram of antiparticles with matter releases energy equivalent to the explosion of several tens of tons of trinitrotoluene. However, obtaining antiparticles in sufficient quantities and then keeping them in a limited volume makes the creation of weapons based on antimatter very problematic.

Removing asteroids from orbit was theoretically considered in the USA back in the 60s. It was assumed that the removal of an asteroid from orbit could be carried out using explosions of powerful nuclear charges in a charging chamber specially created on the surface of the asteroid. When they explode, the asteroid will receive a powerful reactive impulse, which will transfer it to the selected orbit and fall on the specified enemy territory. A collision with the Earth will release energy equivalent to the explosion of millions of nuclear charges, capable of destroying an entire continent. Due to unpredictable consequences, the likelihood of using asteroids as weapons is reduced to zero.

Radiological weapons based on the use of radioactive substances in the form of powder mixtures or liquid solutions with radioactive isotopes of chemical elements with specially selected radiation intensity and half-life. These can be waste generated during the operation of nuclear reactors, or specially selected and irradiated substances. Handling such substances is complicated by the risk of exposure of operating personnel. Another option for radiological weapons is the so-called “cobalt bomb” - a thermonuclear charge with a shell made of natural cobalt. The cobalt-60 isotope produced during a nuclear explosion has a high intensity of gamma radiation, which creates strong radioactive radiation after falling to the ground. Taking into account the half-life of cobalt-60, equal to 5.7 years, the use of the irradiated area is possible no earlier than this period. Today in the media, in connection with the problem of terrorism, the possibility of destroying nuclear power plants with conventional ammunition with subsequent radiological contamination of the area is widely discussed. The Chernobyl disaster is an ominous example of this possibility.

Beam weapon- these are various accelerators of charged or neutral particles (electrons, protons, neutral hydrogen atoms), focused into a highly directed beam. Possessing high energy, such a beam is capable of mechanically destroying the target structure, causing intense heating, initiating X-ray radiation, and damaging the molecular structure of the human body. A distinctive feature of beam weapons is the instantaneousness and suddenness of action, the disadvantages are low efficiency, high losses in the air and a relatively short range in the ground layers of the atmosphere. The listed disadvantages sharply limit the creation of ground-based combat systems, and the large mass of the structure and high energy consumption limit their use in space.

A comparative assessment of the considered types of weapons of mass destruction according to the possible scale of application shows that only geophysical and radiological weapons, weapons based on the annihilation and ejection of asteroids from orbit, as well as information weapons have a strategic scale of combat use and consequences, “similar in destructive effect to an atomic bomb...”. Radio frequency, laser, infrasonic and beam, as noted above, cannot be classified as weapons of mass destruction, and weapons based on the annihilation and ejection of asteroids from orbit practically impossible. If we take into account that chemical, bacteriological (biological) and geophysical prohibited by international agreements, and nuclear, almost nuclear (radiological) and genetic weapons are practically impossible to use due to the extremely dangerous consequences for humanity, then among the relatively wide range of weapons of mass destruction there remains only information weapon.

The nature of destruction by information weapons is fundamentally different from all other types of weapons of mass destruction - it is non-lethality, secrecy and selectivity of destruction, which, together with the scale of use, makes information weapons preferable to any other existing and hypothetical weapons of mass destruction.

Only information weapons and its branch - psychophysical weapons - have real prospects for their widespread use, which is already becoming an obvious fact.

In terms of the nature of its destructive ability, information weapons have no equal, because they are capable of achieving the goals of war (conflict, dispute), while leaving material values, people and the environment intact, by transforming human consciousness and behavior in the direction desired by the attacking party.

The universality of information weapons, especially its component - psychophysical weapons, elevates it to the rank of an absolute weapon, available to all organized structures (and not only government, and not necessarily law enforcement agencies), in war and peacetime, on an individual target and global scale, openly and covertly and even without people realizing the very fact of the attack. Information weapons can be especially effective against a country where there is social tension, interethnic, religious or class conflicts. It can in a short time cause panic, riots, pogroms, destabilization of the political situation and, ultimately, force the country to capitulate to the aggressor without the widespread use of destructive weapons.

However, this does not mean replacing all known types of weapons with information weapons. Information weapons create desired background, reducing the level of necessary need for these weapons to achieve the goals of war (conflict), and with the development of psychophysical weapons - practically eliminating this very need.

Information weapons are turning into the most important threat to the country's national security and the characteristics of Russia, taking into account the crisis and explosive situation that has developed (and not without the help of these weapons!) in all vital areas of our Fatherland.

Literature

1. Scientific and technical report on the research work “Asteroid-AEN”. - M.: Scientific and Technical Center “Diamond”, 1993.

2. Abdurakhmanov M.I., Barishpolets V.A., Manilov V.L., Pirumov V.S. "Geopolitics and National Security". Dictionary of basic concepts and definitions / Ed. V.L. Manilova - M.: “Druza”, 1998. 256 p.

3. Panarin I.N. Problems of ensuring information security in Russia in modern conditions / Information collection No. 6 (111). - M.: GSh VS, 1997. P. 3-16.

4. Prokofiev V.F. The secret weapon of information warfare. - M.: “SINTEG”, 1998. 152 p.

5. Belous V. Possibility of creating weapons of mass destruction on new physical principles / Collection “Nuclear Proliferation”. Vol. No. 23. M.: 1998. P. 5-14.

From our school desks we know about such types of weapons of mass destruction as nuclear, chemical, and bacteriological. But in the 21st century, humanity, rapidly rushing towards its self-destruction, managed to create new types of weapons of mass destruction: infrasonic, radio frequency, radiological, beam, geophysical, weather, etc. Their development involved new principles and phenomena that were not used in the past .

Today, when the topic of the Third World War comes up in the media (and in our thoughts) more and more often, it is more important than ever to learn more about what could threaten the modern civilian population during possible military conflicts.

Nuclear, chemical and biological weapons: principles of operation

First, let's refresh our memory on what we already know.

basis nuclear weapons is the released internal energy that is released during a chain reaction of nuclear fission or during thermonuclear fusion. Varieties of this formidable and deadly weapon are atomic, hydrogen, and neutron bombs.
TO chemical weapons include toxic warfare substances in the form of various gases, liquids, and solid toxic substances.
Microorganisms dangerous to human life (viruses, rickettsia, fungi) form the basis bacteriological weapons.
We won't go into too much detail on this. Basic information about these types of weapons can be obtained from any life safety textbook. It will be much more interesting to learn about completely new types of weapons of mass destruction, which in some aspects look even a little more creepy and fantastic than the “trio” mentioned above.

Infrasonic (psychotronic) weapons of mass destruction

The development of this weapon began in the 20th century. They were especially interested in psychotronic weapons in Nazi Germany, which was notorious for its terrible experiments on concentration camp prisoners.

So, infrasonic weapons are based on the use of radiation of strong infrasonic oscillations of frequency from 16 Hz and higher, directed action. Such radiation affects the central nervous and digestive apparatus of humans. Infrasound has a psychotropic effect on the human brain, the victim loses internal control, and develops a persistent and inexplicable feeling of panic and fear. Generators of destructive infrasound are various resonators and reflectors that are supplied to rocket engines.

Infrasound cannot be heard or seen - perhaps this is one of the most terrible properties of this type of weapon. Today, the issue of developing and/or improving psychotronic weapons is kept in the strictest confidence. However, even in the concentration camps mentioned above, experiments on influencing people with infrasonic vibrations were quite successful: the participants in these inhumane experiments experienced a variety of reactions - from a simple headache or vomiting to complete cessation of breathing. The fact that such weapons exist today and are used to one degree or another in many countries around the world is beyond any doubt.

Radio frequency weapons of mass destruction

Radio frequency weapons include weapons that hit their “opponent” with electromagnetic radiation of a very high frequency (range reaches 30 GHz) or ultra-low frequency (less than 100 Hz). Such electromagnetic radiation damages blood vessels, heart, brain and other important human organs. In this case, the victim experiences auditory and optical hallucinations. His psyche ceases to perceive the surrounding reality adequately.

Radiological weapons are also considered a new type of means of mass killing of humans. It is based on radioactive warfare substances (RAS), which are used in the form of special powders, liquids or solutions containing radioactive substances that cause lethal ionization. Such radiation destroys the human body, causes radiation sickness, and affects body tissues. The effect of these radioactive warfare substances can be compared with the effect of radioactive elements formed at the time of a nuclear explosion, which contaminate vast areas of the surrounding area. For these weapons, manufacturers use, for example, spent nuclear fuel from nuclear power plants.

Beam weapons of mass destruction

Experts refer to beam weapons as specially created devices or generators, the highly directed beams of which, in the form of lasers and beam accelerators, hit material objects, heating them very quickly to ultra-high temperatures. As a result, beam weapons instantly damage a person’s vision, cause severe burns to the body, and disable technical equipment. Since a laser beam reduces its damaging effect due to fog, dust, rain and other weather phenomena, its use has been found in outer space, where there are no such obstacles, and a laser beam can quite effectively and quickly disable a ballistic missile or artificial spacecraft. satellite of a potential enemy.

Geographic weapons of mass destruction

Geophysical (including “lithospheric”, “hydrosphere”, “atmospheric”, “weather”, “climatic”, etc.) weapons. These terms denote various means that are used for military purposes in conjunction with the destructive forces of nature, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, hurricanes, avalanches, landslides and rockslides, mudflows, etc. Man is already capable of artificially creating a long-term drought, or on the contrary, prolonged downpours, large hail, heavy fog. It has the power to influence the planet’s ionosphere, creating magnetic storms and auroras that disrupt radio communications and radar observations over vast areas. For this purpose, chemicals, thermal and electromagnetic generators and other numerous devices are used.
Some time will pass, and new types of weapons of mass destruction will appear, and those that exist will be improved. What remains for us? Always and everywhere be prepared for anything - just like a true survivalist should. Take care of yourself!

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The greatest threat to humanity throughout its history has been the dangers arising during armed conflicts, especially those involving the use of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Wartime emergencies are characterized by the types of weapons used (nuclear, chemical and biological, conventional, incendiary, precision, etc.).

is a weapon of great lethality, designed to cause mass casualties and destruction. Weapons of mass destruction or destruction include: nuclear, chemical and biological (bacteriological) weapons.

Weapons of mass destruction and protection against them

One of the main tasks still remains the protection of the population from weapons of mass destruction and other modern means of enemy attack. Of course, the modern multipolar world does not imply, as in the last century, open military confrontation between two superpowers and military-political blocs. But does this mean that studying issues of protection against weapons of mass destruction has become unnecessary? The explosions of residential high-rise buildings in Russia, the destruction of the World Trade Center and other facilities in the United States, as well as other large-scale terrorist attacks in recent years indicate that state-political hostility has been replaced by a new danger - international terrorism. International terrorists stop at nothing. And if weapons of mass destruction fall into their hands, they will use them without a shadow of a doubt. This is confirmed by recent public statements by the leaders of terrorist organizations. Based on this, it becomes clear that the need to prepare the population in the field of protection against weapons of mass destruction has not lost its relevance today.

Nuclear weapon

- This is one of the main types of weapons of mass destruction. It is capable of incapacitating a large number of people and animals in a short time, and destroying buildings and structures over large areas. The massive use of nuclear weapons is fraught with catastrophic consequences for all humanity, therefore the Russian Federation is persistently and steadily fighting for their ban.

The population must firmly know and skillfully apply methods of protection against weapons of mass destruction, otherwise huge losses are inevitable. Everyone knows the terrible consequences of the atomic bombings in August 1945 of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki - tens of thousands of dead, hundreds of thousands of injured. If the population of these cities knew the means and methods of protecting themselves from nuclear weapons, were notified of the danger and took refuge in shelters, the number of victims could be significantly less.

The destructive effect of nuclear weapons is based on the energy released during explosive nuclear reactions. Nuclear weapons include nuclear weapons. The basis of a nuclear weapon is a nuclear charge, the power of the damaging explosion of which is usually expressed in TNT equivalent, that is, the amount of conventional explosive, the explosion of which releases the same amount of energy as it would be released during the explosion of a given nuclear weapon. It is measured in tens, hundreds, thousands (kilos) and millions (mega) tons.

The means of delivering nuclear weapons to targets are missiles (the main means of delivering nuclear strikes), aviation and artillery. In addition, nuclear land mines can be used.

Nuclear explosions are carried out in the air at various heights, near the surface of the earth (water) and underground (water). In accordance with this, they are usually divided into high-altitude (produced above the boundary of the Earth’s troposphere - above 10 km), air (produced in the atmosphere at an altitude at which the luminous area does not touch the surface of the earth (water), but not higher than 10 km), ground ( carried out on the surface of the earth (contact) or at such a height when the luminous area touches the surface of the earth), underground (carried out below the surface of the earth with or without the release of soil), surface (carried out on the surface of the water (contact) or at such a height from it, when the luminous area of ​​the explosion touches the surface of the water), underwater (produced in water at a certain depth).

The point at which the explosion occurred is called the center, and its projection onto the surface of the earth (water) is called the epicenter of the nuclear explosion.

The damaging factors of a nuclear explosion are shock wave, light radiation, penetrating radiation, radioactive contamination and electromagnetic pulse.

Shock wave- the main damaging factor of a nuclear explosion, since most of the destruction and damage to structures, buildings, as well as injuries to people are, as a rule, caused by this impact. The source of its occurrence is the strong pressure formed at the center of the explosion and reaching billions of atmospheres in the first moments. The area of ​​strong compression of the surrounding layers of air formed during the explosion, expanding, transfers pressure to neighboring layers of air, compressing and heating them, and they, in turn, affect the following layers. As a result, a high-pressure zone spreads in the air at supersonic speed in all directions from the center of the explosion. The front boundary of the compressed layer of air is called shock wave front.

The degree of damage to various objects by a shock wave depends on the power and type of explosion, mechanical strength (stability of the object), as well as on the distance at which the explosion occurred, the terrain and the position of objects on it.

The damaging effect of a shock wave is characterized by the magnitude of excess pressure. Overpressure is the difference between the maximum pressure at the shock wave front and normal atmospheric pressure ahead of the wave front. It is measured in newtons per square meter (N/m2). This unit of pressure is called Pascal (Pa). 1 N/m 2 = 1 Pa (1 kPa % “0.01 kgf/cm 2).

With excess pressure of 20-40 kPa, unprotected people can suffer minor injuries (minor bruises and contusions). Exposure to a shock wave with an excess pressure of 40-60 kPa leads to moderate damage: loss of consciousness, damage to the hearing organs, severe dislocations of the limbs, bleeding from the nose and ears. Severe injuries occur when excess pressure exceeds 60 kPa and are characterized by severe contusions of the entire body, fractures of the limbs, and damage to internal organs. Extremely severe injuries, often fatal, are observed at excess pressure above 100 kPa.

The speed of movement and the distance over which the shock wave propagates depend on the power of the nuclear explosion; As the distance from the explosion increases, the speed quickly decreases. Thus, when an ammunition with a power of 20 kt explodes, the shock wave travels 1 km in 2 seconds, 2 km in 5 seconds, 3 km in 8 seconds. During this time, a person can take cover after a flash and thereby avoid being hit by a shock wave.

Light radiation is a stream of radiant energy that includes ultraviolet, visible and infrared rays. Its source is a luminous area formed by hot explosion products and hot air. Light radiation spreads almost instantly and lasts, depending on the power of the nuclear explosion, up to 20 seconds. However, its strength is such that, despite its short duration, it can cause burns to the skin (skin), damage (permanent or temporary) to the organs of vision of people and fire of flammable materials of objects.

Light radiation does not penetrate through opaque materials, so any barrier that can create a shadow protects against the direct action of light radiation and prevents burns. Light radiation is significantly weakened in dusty (smoky) air, fog, rain, and snowfall.

Penetrating radiation is a stream of gamma rays and neutrons. It lasts 10-15 seconds. Passing through living tissue, gamma radiation ionizes the molecules that make up the cells. Under the influence of ionization, biological processes arise in the body, leading to disruption of the vital functions of individual organs and the development of radiation sickness.

As a result of radiation passing through environmental materials, the radiation intensity decreases. The attenuating effect is usually characterized by a layer of half attenuation, that is, such a thickness of material, passing through which the radiation is halved. For example, the intensity of gamma rays is reduced by half: steel 2.8 cm thick, concrete - 10 cm, soil - 14 cm, wood - 30 cm.

Open and especially closed cracks reduce the impact of penetrating radiation, and shelters and anti-radiation shelters almost completely protect against it.

Main sources radioactive contamination are fission products of a nuclear charge and radioactive isotopes formed as a result of the impact of neutrons on the materials from which nuclear weapons are made, and on some elements that make up the soil in the area of ​​the explosion.

In a ground-based nuclear explosion, the glowing area touches the ground. Masses of evaporating soil are drawn inside it and rise upward. As they cool, vapors from fission products and soil condense on solid particles. A radioactive cloud is formed. It rises to a height of many kilometers, and then moves with the wind at a speed of 25-100 km/h. Radioactive particles falling from the cloud to the ground form a zone of radioactive contamination (trace), the length of which can reach several hundred kilometers. In this case, the area, buildings, structures, crops, reservoirs, etc., as well as the air, become infected.

Radioactive substances pose the greatest danger in the first hours after deposition, since their activity is highest during this period.

Electromagnetic pulse- these are electric and magnetic fields arising as a result of the impact of gamma radiation from a nuclear explosion on the atoms of the environment and the formation of a flow of electrons and positive ions in this environment. It can cause damage to radio-electronic equipment and disruption of radio and electronic equipment.

The most reliable means of protection against all damaging factors of a nuclear explosion are protective structures. In the field you should take cover behind strong local objects, reverse slopes of heights, and in folds of the terrain.

When operating in contaminated areas, to protect the respiratory organs, eyes, and open areas of the body from radioactive substances, respiratory protective equipment (gas masks, respirators, anti-dust fabric masks and cotton-gauze bandages), as well as skin protection products, are used.

The basis neutron ammunition constitute thermonuclear charges that use nuclear fission and fusion reactions. The explosion of such ammunition has a damaging effect, first of all, on people due to the powerful flow of penetrating radiation.

When a neutron munition explodes, the area affected by penetrating radiation exceeds the area affected by the shock wave by several times. In this zone, equipment and structures can remain unharmed, but people will receive fatal injuries.

The source of nuclear destruction is the territory directly exposed to the damaging factors of a nuclear explosion. It is characterized by massive destruction of buildings and structures, rubble, accidents in utility networks, fires, radioactive contamination and significant losses among the population.

The more powerful the nuclear explosion, the larger the source size. The nature of the destruction in the outbreak also depends on the strength of the structures of buildings and structures, their number of storeys and building density. The outer boundary of the source of nuclear damage is taken to be a conventional line on the terrain, drawn at such a distance from the epicenter (center) of the explosion where the excess pressure of the shock wave is equal to 10 kPa.

The source of nuclear damage is conventionally divided into zones - areas with approximately the same nature of destruction.

The zone of complete destruction is an area exposed to a shock wave with an excess pressure (at the outer boundary) of over 50 kPa. All buildings and structures in the zone, as well as anti-radiation shelters and part of the shelters, are completely destroyed, continuous rubble is formed, and the utility and energy network is damaged.

The zone of severe destruction is with excess pressure in the shock wave front from 50 to 30 kPa. In this zone, ground buildings and structures will be severely damaged, local rubble will form, and continuous and massive fires will occur. Most shelters will remain intact; some shelters will have their entrances and exits blocked. People in them can be injured only due to a violation of the sealing of the shelters, their flooding or gas contamination.

The zone of medium destruction is with excess pressure in the shock wave front from 30 to 20 kPa. In it, buildings and structures will suffer moderate damage. Shelters and basement-type shelters will remain. Light radiation will cause continuous fires.

The zone of weak destruction is with excess pressure in the shock wave front from 20 to 10 kPa. Buildings will suffer minor damage. Individual fires will arise from light radiation.

Radioactive contamination zone- this is an area that has been contaminated with radioactive substances as a result of their fallout after ground (underground) and low air nuclear explosions.

The damaging effect of radioactive substances is caused mainly by gamma radiation. The harmful effects of ionizing radiation are assessed by the radiation dose (radiation dose; D), that is, the energy of these rays absorbed per unit volume of the irradiated substance. This energy is measured in existing dosimetric instruments in roentgens (R). X-ray - This is a dose of gamma radiation that creates 2.083 billion ion pairs in 1 cm 3 of dry air (at a temperature of 0 ° C and a pressure of 760 mm Hg).

Typically, the radiation dose is determined over a period of time called exposure time (the time people spend in the contaminated area).

To assess the intensity of gamma radiation emitted by radioactive substances in a contaminated area, the concept of “radiation dose rate” (radiation level) was introduced. Dose rates are measured in roentgens per hour (R/h), small dose rates are measured in milliroentgens per hour (mR/h).

Gradually, radiation dose rates (radiation levels) decrease. Thus, dose rates (radiation levels) measured 1 hour after a ground-based nuclear explosion will decrease by half after 2 hours, by 4 times after 3 hours, by 10 times after 7 hours, and by 100 times after 49 hours.

The degree of radioactive contamination and the size of the contaminated area of ​​the radioactive trace during a nuclear explosion depend on the power and type of explosion, meteorological conditions, as well as the nature of the terrain and soil. The dimensions of the radioactive trace are conventionally divided into zones (Fig. 1).

Rice. 1. Formation of a radioactive trace from a ground-based nuclear explosion

Dangerous contamination zone. At the outer boundary of the zone, the radiation dose (from the moment radioactive substances fall out of the cloud onto the area until they completely disintegrate) is 1200 R, the radiation level 1 hour after the explosion is 240 R/h.

Highly infested area. At the outer border of the zone, the radiation dose is 400 R, the radiation level 1 hour after the explosion is 80 R/h.

Moderate Infestation Zone. At the outer border of the zone, the radiation dose is 40 R, the radiation level 1 hour after the explosion is 8 R/h.

As a result of exposure to ionizing radiation, as well as exposure to penetrating radiation, people develop radiation sickness. A dose of 100-200 R causes radiation sickness of the first degree, a dose of 200-400 R causes radiation sickness of the second degree, a dose of 400-600 R causes radiation sickness of the third degree, a dose over 600 R causes radiation sickness of the fourth degree.

A dose of single irradiation for four days up to 50 R, as well as multiple irradiation up to 100 R for 10-30 days, does not cause external signs of the disease and is considered safe.

Chemical weapon

is a weapon of mass destruction, the action of which is based on the toxic properties of certain chemicals. This includes chemical warfare agents and means of their use.

Signs of the use of chemical weapons by the enemy are: the weak, dull sound of ammunition explosions on the ground and in the air and the appearance of smoke at the sites of explosions, which quickly dissipates; dark stripes that stretch behind the plane, settling on the ground; oily spots on leaves, soil, buildings, as well as near the craters of exploding bombs and shells, changes in the natural color of vegetation (green leaves); people feel irritation of the nasopharynx, eyes, constriction of the pupils, and a feeling of heaviness in the chest.

(OB)- these are chemical compounds that, when used, are capable of infecting people and animals over large areas, penetrating various structures, and contaminating terrain and water bodies.

They are used to equip missiles, aircraft bombs, artillery shells and mines, chemical landmines, as well as airborne discharge devices (VAP). When used, OM can be in a droplet-liquid state, in the form of gas (vapor) and aerosol (fog, smoke). They can penetrate the human body and infect it through the respiratory, digestive organs, skin and eyes.

Based on their effect on the human body, toxic substances are divided into nerve-paralytic, vesicant, asphyxiating, generally toxic, irritant and psychochemical.

Toxic substances nerve agent(VX - Vi-X, GB - sarin, GD - soman) affect the nervous system when acting on the body through the respiratory system, when penetrating in a vaporous and droplet-liquid state through the skin, as well as when entering the gastrointestinal tract along with food and water. Their durability lasts for more than a day in the summer, and several weeks and even months in the winter. These agents are the most dangerous. A very small amount of them is enough to infect a person.

Signs of damage are: salivation, constriction of the pupils (miosis), difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, convulsions, paralysis. With severe damage, signs of poisoning develop very quickly. After about 1 minute, loss of consciousness occurs and severe convulsions are observed, turning into paralysis. Death occurs within 5-15 minutes from paralysis of the respiratory center and heart muscle.

A gas mask and protective clothing are used as personal protective equipment. To provide first aid to the affected person, a gas mask is put on him and the antidote is injected into him using a syringe tube or by taking a tablet. If nerve agents come into contact with skin or clothing, the affected areas are treated with liquid from an individual anti-chemical package.

Toxic substances vesicant action(mustard gas, lewisite) have a multilateral damaging effect. In a droplet-liquid and vapor state, they affect the skin and eyes, when inhaling vapors - the respiratory tract and lungs, and when ingested with food and water - the digestive organs. A characteristic feature of mustard gas is the presence of a period of latent action (the lesion is not detected immediately, but after some time - 4 hours or more). Signs of damage are redness of the skin, the formation of small blisters, which then merge into large ones and burst after two or three days, turning into difficult-to-heal ulcers. Eyes are very sensitive to mustard gas. If O B drops or aerosol gets into the eyes, a burning sensation, itching and increasing pain appear within 30 minutes. The lesion quickly develops in depth and mostly results in loss of vision. With any local damage, agents cause general poisoning of the body, which manifests itself in increased temperature and malaise.

When using blister agents, it is necessary to wear a gas mask and protective clothing. If OB drops get on your skin or clothing, the affected areas are immediately treated with liquid from an individual anti-chemical bag.

Toxic substances suffocating effect(phosgene, diphosgene) affect the body through the respiratory system. Signs of damage are a sweetish, unpleasant taste in the mouth, cough, dizziness, and general weakness. These phenomena disappear after leaving the source of infection, and the victim feels normal within 2-12 hours, unaware of the damage he has received. During this period (latent action) pulmonary edema develops. Then breathing may sharply worsen, a cough with copious sputum, headache, fever, shortness of breath, and palpitations may appear. Death usually occurs on the second or third day. If this critical period has passed, then the condition of the affected person gradually begins to improve, and after 2-3 weeks recovery may occur.

In case of defeat, a gas mask is put on the victim, they are taken out of the contaminated area, they are covered warmly and they are provided with peace. Under no circumstances should you perform artificial respiration on the victim.

Toxic substances generally toxic(hydrocyanic acid, cyanogen chloride) affect only when inhaling air contaminated with their vapors (they do not act through the skin). Signs of damage include a metallic taste in the mouth, throat irritation, dizziness, weakness, nausea, severe convulsions, and paralysis. To protect against them, it is enough to use only a gas mask.

To help the victim, you need to crush the ampoule with the antidote and insert it under the gas mask helmet. In severe cases, the victim is given artificial respiration, warmed up and sent to a medical center.

Toxic substances irritating effect(CS - CS, adamsite, etc.) cause acute burning and pain in the mouth, throat and eyes, severe lacrimation, coughing, difficulty breathing.

Toxic substances psychochemical action(BZ - Bi-Z) specifically act on the central nervous system and cause mental (hallucinations, fear, depression) or physical (blindness, deafness) disorders. Signs of damage include dilated pupils, dry mouth, increased heart rate, dizziness, and muscle weakness.

After 30-60 minutes, weakening of attention and memory, decreased reactions to external stimuli are observed. The affected person loses orientation, phenomena of psychomotor agitation occur, periodically giving way to hallucinations. Contact with the outside world is lost, and the affected person is unable to distinguish reality from the illusory ideas occurring in his mind. The consequence of impaired consciousness is insanity with partial or complete loss of memory. Some signs of damage persist for up to 5 days.

If you are affected by an irritating and psychochemical agent, it is necessary to treat the infected areas of the body with soapy water, rinse the eyes and nasopharynx thoroughly with clean water, and shake out or brush the clothes. Victims should be removed from the contaminated area and given medical care.

The territory within which mass casualties of people and farm animals occurred as a result of exposure to chemical weapons is called source of chemical damage. Its dimensions depend on the scale and method of application of the agent, the type of agent, meteorological conditions, terrain and other factors.

Particularly dangerous are persistent nerve agent agents, the vapors of which travel in the wind over a fairly large distance (15-25 km or more). Therefore, people and animals can be affected by them not only in the area where chemical munitions are used, but also far beyond its borders.

The duration of the damaging effect of agents is shorter, the stronger the wind and rising air currents. In forests, parks, ravines, and on narrow streets, agents persist longer than in open areas.

The territory directly exposed to enemy chemical weapons and the territory over which a cloud of contaminated air has spread in damaging concentrations is called zone of chemical contamination. There are primary and secondary zones of infection. The primary zone is formed as a result of exposure to a primary cloud of contaminated air, the source of which is chemical vapors and aerosols that appeared directly from the explosion of chemical munitions; the secondary zone - as a result of the influence of a cloud, which is formed during the evaporation of droplets of chemical agents that settled after the explosion of chemical munitions.

Biological weapons

It is a means of mass destruction of people, farm animals and plants. Its action is based on the use of the pathogenic properties of microorganisms (bacteria, rickettsia, fungi, as well as toxins produced by some bacteria). Biological weapons include formulations of pathogenic microorganisms and means of delivering them to the target (missiles, aerial bombs and containers, aerosol sprays, artillery shells, etc.).

Biological weapons are capable of causing massive dangerous diseases in humans and animals over vast areas; they have a damaging effect over a long period of time and have a long latent (incubation) period of action. Microbes and toxins are difficult to detect in the external environment; they can penetrate with the air into unsealed shelters and rooms and infect people and animals in them. Signs of the enemy's use of biological weapons are: the dull sound of shells and bombs exploding, unusual for conventional ammunition; the presence of large fragments and individual parts of ammunition in places of explosions; the appearance of drops of liquid or powdery substances on the ground; unusual accumulation of insects and mites in areas where ammunition ruptures and containers fall; mass diseases of people and animals. In addition, the enemy's use of biological agents can be determined through laboratory testing.

As biological agents, the enemy can use pathogens of various infectious diseases: plague, anthrax, brucellosis, glanders, tularemia, cholera, yellow and other types of fever, spring-summer encephalitis, typhus and typhoid fever, influenza, malaria, dysentery, smallpox and etc. In addition, botulinum toxin can be used, which causes severe poisoning of the human body. To infect animals, along with the pathogens of anthrax and glanders, it is possible to use the viruses of foot-and-mouth disease, cattle and bird plague, swine cholera, etc. To infect agricultural plants, it is possible to use pathogens of cereal rust, late blight of potatoes, late wilting of corn and other crops; insects - pests of agricultural plants; phytotoxicants, defoliants, herbicides and other chemicals.

Infection of people and animals occurs as a result of inhalation of contaminated air, contact with microbes or toxins on the mucous membrane and damaged skin, consumption of contaminated food and water, bites of infected insects and ticks, contact with contaminated objects, injury from fragments of ammunition filled with biological agents, as well as as a result of direct communication with sick people (animals). A number of diseases quickly spread from sick people to healthy people and cause epidemics (plague, cholera, typhoid, influenza, etc.).

The main means of protecting the population from biological weapons include: vaccine-serum preparations, antibiotics, sulfonamide and other medicinal substances used for special and emergency prevention of infectious diseases, personal and collective protective equipment, chemicals used to neutralize pathogens of infectious diseases.

If signs of the enemy using biological weapons are detected, immediately put on gas masks (respirators, masks), as well as skin protection and report this to the nearest civil defense headquarters, the director of the institution, the head of the enterprise, or the organization.

The source of biological damage is considered to be cities, towns and national economic facilities that have been directly exposed to biological agents that create a source of spread of infectious diseases. Its boundaries are determined on the basis of biological reconnaissance data, laboratory studies of samples from environmental objects, as well as identification of patients and ways of spreading emerging infectious diseases. Armed guards are installed around the outbreak, entry and exit are prohibited, as well as the removal of property,

To prevent the spread of infectious diseases among the population in the affected area, a set of anti-epidemic and sanitary and hygienic measures is carried out: emergency prevention; observation and quarantine; sanitary treatment of the population; disinfection of various contaminated objects. If necessary, destroy insects, ticks and rodents (disinsection and deratization).

It is important to know that the greatest threat to humanity throughout its history has been the dangers arising during armed conflicts, especially with the use of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Wartime emergencies are characterized by the types of weapons used (nuclear, chemical and biological, conventional, incendiary, high-precision, etc.)

— ϶ᴛᴏ a weapon of great lethality, designed to cause mass casualties and destruction. Weapons of mass destruction or destruction include: nuclear, chemical and biological (bacteriological) weapons.

Weapons of mass destruction and protection against them

It is important to note that one of the main tasks of civil defense still remains the protection of the population from weapons of mass destruction and other modern means of enemy attack. Of course, the modern multipolar world does not imply, as in the last century, open military confrontation between two superpowers and military-political blocs. But does this mean that studying issues of protection against weapons of mass destruction has become unnecessary? The explosions of residential high-rise buildings in Russia, the destruction of the World Trade Center and other facilities in the United States, as well as other large-scale terrorist attacks in recent years indicate that state-political hostility has been replaced by a new danger - international terrorism. International terrorists stop at nothing. And if weapons of mass destruction fall into their hands, they will use them without a shadow of a doubt. This is confirmed by recent public statements by the leaders of terrorist organizations. Based on this, it becomes clear that the need to prepare the population in the field of protection from weapons of mass destruction has not lost its relevance today.

Nuclear weapon

Nuclear weapon— ϶ᴛᴏ one of the main types of weapons of mass destruction. It is worth noting that it is capable of incapacitating a large number of people and animals in a short time, and destroying buildings and structures over large areas. The massive use of nuclear weapons is fraught with catastrophic consequences for all humanity, which is why the Russian Federation is persistently and steadily fighting for their ban.

The population must firmly know and skillfully apply methods of protection against weapons of mass destruction, otherwise huge losses are inevitable. Everyone knows the terrible consequences of the atomic bombings in August 1945 of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki - tens of thousands of dead, hundreds of thousands of injured. If the population of these cities knew the means and methods of protection from nuclear weapons, were notified of the danger and took refuge in shelters, the number of victims could be significantly less.

The destructive effect of nuclear weapons is based on the energy released during explosive nuclear reactions. Nuclear weapons include nuclear weapons.
It is worth noting that the basis of a nuclear weapon is a nuclear charge, the power of the damaging explosion of which is usually expressed in TNT equivalent, that is, the amount of conventional explosive, the explosion of which releases the same amount of energy as it would be released during the explosion of a given nuclear weapon. It is measured in tens, hundreds, thousands (kilos) and millions (mega) tons.

The means of delivering nuclear weapons to targets will be missiles (the main means of delivering nuclear strikes), aviation and artillery. Except for the above, nuclear land mines can be used.

Nuclear explosions are carried out in the air at different heights, near the surface of the earth (water) and underground (water). In this context, they are usually divided into high-altitude (produced above the boundary of the Earth’s troposphere - above 10 km), air (produced in the atmosphere at an altitude, in which the luminous area does not touch the surface of the earth (water), but not higher than 10 km), ground (carried out on the surface of the earth (contact) or at such a height when the luminous area touches the surface of the earth), underground (carried out below the surface of the earth with emission or without ejection of soil), above-water (carried out on the surface of the water (contact) or at such a height from it when the luminous area of ​​the explosion touches the surface of the water), underwater (carried out in water at a certain depth)

The point at which the explosion occurred is called the center, and its projection onto the surface of the earth (water) is called the epicenter of a nuclear explosion.

The damaging factors of a nuclear explosion will be a shock wave, light radiation, penetrating radiation, radioactive contamination and an electromagnetic pulse.

Shock wave- the main damaging factor of a nuclear explosion, since most of the destruction and damage to structures, buildings, as well as injuries to people are caused by traditional exposure. The source of its occurrence is the strong pressure formed at the center of the explosion and reaching billions of atmospheres in the first moments. The area of ​​strong compression of the surrounding layers of air formed during the explosion, expanding, transfers pressure to neighboring layers of air, compressing and heating them, and they, in turn, affect the following layers. As a result, a high-pressure zone spreads in the air at supersonic speed in all directions from the center of the explosion. The front boundary of the compressed layer of air is called shock wave front.

The degree of damage to various objects by a shock wave depends on the power and type of explosion, mechanical strength (stability of the object), as well as on the distance at which the explosion occurred, the terrain and the position of objects on it.

The damaging effect of a shock wave is characterized by the magnitude of excess pressure. Overpressure— ϶ᴛᴏ the difference between the maximum pressure in the shock wave front and normal atmospheric pressure in front of the wave front. It is worth noting that it is measured in newtons per square meter (N/m2). By the way, this unit of pressure is called Pascal (Pa) 1 N/m2 = 1 Pa (1 kPa% "0.01 kgf/cm2)

With an excess pressure of 20-40 kPa, unprotected people can receive minor injuries (minor bruises and contusions). Exposure to a shock wave with an excess pressure of 40-60 kPa leads to moderate injuries: loss of consciousness, hearing damage, severe dislocations of the limbs, nosebleeds and ears. Severe injuries occur when excess pressure exceeds 60 kPa and are characterized by severe contusions of the entire body, fractures of the limbs, and damage to internal organs. Extremely severe injuries, often fatal, are observed at excess pressure above 100 kPa.

The speed of movement and the distance over which the shock wave propagates depend on the power of the nuclear explosion; As the distance from the explosion increases, the speed quickly decreases. Thus, when an ammunition with a power of 20 kt explodes, the shock wave travels 1 km in 2 seconds, 2 km in 5 seconds, 3 km in 8 seconds. In just a short time, a person can take cover after a flash and thereby avoid being hit by a shock wave.

Light radiation— ϶ᴛᴏ flow of radiant energy, including ultraviolet, visible and infrared rays. Its source is a luminous area formed by hot explosion products and hot air. Light radiation spreads almost instantly and lasts, depending on the power of the nuclear explosion, up to 20 seconds. Moreover, its strength is such that, despite its short duration, it can cause burns to the skin (skin), damage (permanent or temporary) to the organs of vision of people and fire of flammable materials of objects.

Light radiation does not penetrate through opaque materials, therefore any barrier that can create a shadow protects against the direct action of light radiation and prevents burns. Light radiation is significantly weakened in dusty (smoky) air, fog, rain, and snowfall.

Penetrating radiation— ϶ᴛᴏ flow of gamma rays and neutrons. It is worth noting that it lasts 10-15 seconds. Passing through living tissue, gamma radiation ionizes the molecules that make up the cells. Under the influence of ionization, biological processes arise in the body, leading to disruption of the vital functions of individual organs and the development of radiation sickness.

As a result of radiation passing through environmental materials, the radiation intensity decreases.
It is worth noting that the attenuating effect is usually characterized by a layer of half attenuation, that is, such a thickness of material, passing through which radiation is halved. For example, the intensity of gamma rays is reduced by half: steel 2.8 cm thick, concrete - 10 cm, soil - 14 cm, wood - 30 cm.

Open and especially closed cracks reduce the impact of penetrating radiation, and shelters and anti-radiation shelters almost completely protect against it.

Main sources radioactive contamination There will be fission products of a nuclear charge and radioactive isotopes formed as a result of the impact of neutrons on the materials from which the nuclear weapon is made, and on certain elements that make up the soil in the area of ​​the explosion.

In a ground-based nuclear explosion, the glowing area touches the ground. Masses of evaporating soil are drawn inside it, which rise upward. As they cool, vapors from fission products and soil condense on solid particles. A radioactive cloud is formed. It is worth noting that it rises to a height of many kilometers, and then moves with the wind at a speed of 25-100 km/h. Radioactive particles falling from the cloud to the ground form a zone of radioactive contamination (trace), the length of which can reach several hundred kilometers. With this, the area, buildings, structures, crops, reservoirs, etc., as well as the air, become infected.

Radioactive substances pose the greatest danger in the first hours after deposition, since their activity is highest during this period.

Electromagnetic pulse— ϶ᴛᴏ electric and magnetic fields arising as a result of the impact of gamma radiation from a nuclear explosion on the atoms of the environment and the formation of a flow of electrons and positive ions in the ϶ᴛᴏ environment. It is worth noting that it can cause damage to electronic equipment and disruption of radio and electronic equipment.

The most reliable means of protection against all damaging factors of a nuclear explosion will be protective structures. In the field you should take cover behind strong local objects, reverse slopes of heights, and in folds of the terrain.

When operating in contaminated areas, to protect the respiratory organs, eyes, and open areas of the body from radioactive substances, respiratory protective equipment (gas masks, respirators, anti-dust fabric masks and cotton-gauze bandages), as well as skin protection products, can be used.

The basis neutron ammunition constitute thermonuclear charges, in which nuclear fission and fusion reactions can be used. The explosion of such ammunition has a damaging effect, first of all, on people due to the powerful flow of penetrating radiation.

When a neutron munition explodes, the area affected by penetrating radiation exceeds the area affected by the shock wave by several times. In this zone, equipment and structures may remain unharmed, but people will receive fatal injuries.

The source of nuclear destruction is the territory directly exposed to the damaging factors of a nuclear explosion. It is worth noting that it is characterized by massive destruction of buildings and structures, rubble, accidents in utility networks, fires, radioactive contamination and significant losses among the population.

The more powerful the nuclear explosion, the larger the source size. The nature of the destruction in the outbreak also depends on the strength of the structures of buildings and structures, their number of storeys and building density. The outer boundary of the source of nuclear damage is taken to be a conventional line on the terrain, drawn at such a distance from the epicenter (center) of the explosion where the excess pressure of the shock wave is equal to 10 kPa.

The source of nuclear damage is conventionally divided into zones - areas with approximately the same nature of destruction.

A zone of complete destruction is a territory exposed to a shock wave with excess pressure (at the outer boundary) of over 50 kPa. All buildings and structures in the zone, as well as anti-radiation shelters and part of the shelters, are completely destroyed, continuous rubble is formed, and the utility and energy network is damaged.

The zone of severe destruction is with excess pressure in the shock wave front from 50 to 30 kPa. In this zone, above-ground buildings and structures will be severely damaged, local rubble will form, and continuous and massive fires will break out. It is important to know that most shelters will remain intact; some shelters will have their entrances and exits blocked. People in them can be injured only due to a violation of the sealing of the shelters, their flooding or gas contamination.

The zone of medium destruction is with excess pressure in the shock wave front from 30 to 20 kPa. In it, buildings and structures will suffer moderate damage. Shelters and basement-type shelters will remain. Light radiation will cause continuous fires.

The zone of weak destruction is with excess pressure in the shock wave front from 20 to 10 kPa. Buildings will suffer minor damage. Individual fires will arise from light radiation.

Radioactive contamination zone— ϶ᴛᴏ territory that has been contaminated with radioactive substances as a result of their fallout after ground (underground) and low air nuclear explosions.

The damaging effect of radioactive substances is caused mainly by gamma radiation. The harmful effects of ionizing radiation are assessed by the radiation dose (radiation dose; D), that is, the energy of these rays absorbed per unit volume of the irradiated substance. By the way, this energy is measured in existing dosimetric instruments in roentgens (R) X-ray -϶ᴛᴏ such a dose of gamma radiation that creates 2.083 billion ion pairs in 1 cm 3 of dry air (at a temperature of 0 ° C and a pressure of 760 mm Hg. Art.).

Typically, the radiation dose is determined over a period of time called exposure time (the time people spend in the contaminated area)

To assess the intensity of gamma radiation emitted by radioactive substances in a contaminated area, the concept of “radiation dose rate” (radiation level) was introduced. Dose rate is measured in roentgens per hour (R/h), small dose rates are measured in milliroentgens per hour (mR/h )

Gradually, radiation dose rates (radiation levels) decrease. Thus, dose rates (radiation levels) measured 1 hour after a ground-based nuclear explosion will decrease by half after 2 hours, by 4 times after 3 hours, by 10 times after 7 hours, and by 100 times after 49 hours.

The degree of radioactive contamination and the size of the contaminated area of ​​the radioactive trace during a nuclear explosion depend on the power and type of explosion, meteorological conditions, as well as the nature of the terrain and soil. The dimensions of the radioactive trace are conventionally divided into zones (Fig. 1)

Figure No. 1. Formation of a radioactive trace from a ground-based nuclear explosion

Dangerous contamination zone. At the outer boundary of the zone, the radiation dose (from the moment radioactive substances fall out of the cloud onto the area until they completely disintegrate) is 1200 R, the radiation level 1 hour after the explosion is 240 R/h.

Highly infested area. At the outer border of the zone, the radiation dose is 400 R, the radiation level 1 hour after the explosion is 80 R/h.

Moderate Infestation Zone. At the outer border of the zone, the radiation dose is 40 R, the radiation level 1 hour after the explosion is 8 R/h.

As a result of exposure to ionizing radiation, as well as exposure to penetrating radiation, people develop radiation sickness. A dose of 100-200 R causes radiation sickness of the first degree, a dose of 200-400 R causes radiation sickness of the second degree, a dose of 400-600 R causes radiation sickness of the third degree, a dose over 600 R causes radiation sickness of the fourth degree.

A dose of single irradiation for four days up to 50 R, as well as multiple irradiation up to 100 R for 10-30 days, does not cause external signs of the disease and is considered safe.

Chemical weapon

Chemical weapon— a weapon of mass destruction, the action of which is based on the toxic properties of certain chemical substances. It includes chemical warfare agents and means of their use.

Signs of the use of chemical weapons by the enemy will be: a weak, dull sound of ammunition explosions on the ground and in the air and the appearance of smoke at the sites of explosions, which quickly dissipates; dark stripes that stretch behind the plane, settling on the ground; oily spots on leaves, soil, buildings, as well as near the craters of exploding bombs and shells, changes in the natural color of vegetation (green leaves); With this, people feel irritation of the nasopharynx, eyes, constriction of the pupils, and a feeling of heaviness in the chest.

Toxic substances (OS)— ϶ᴛᴏ such chemical compounds which, when used, are capable of infecting people and animals over large areas, penetrating various structures, and contaminating terrain and water bodies.

They are used to equip missiles, aircraft bombs, artillery shells and mines, chemical land mines, as well as airborne devices (VAP). When used, chemical agents can be in a droplet-liquid state, in the form of gas (vapor) and aerosol (fog, smoke) Penetrate into the body humans and can infect them through the respiratory, digestive, skin and eyes.

Based on their effect on the human body, toxic substances are divided into nerve-paralytic, vesicant, asphyxiating, generally toxic, irritant and psychochemical.

Toxic substances nerve agent(VX - Vi-X, GB - sarin, GD - soman) affect the nervous system when acting on the body through the respiratory system, when penetrating in a vaporous and droplet-liquid state through the skin, as well as when entering the gastrointestinal tract along with food and water. Their durability lasts for more than a day in the summer, and several weeks and even months in the winter. These agents are the most dangerous. It is worth saying that a very small amount of them is enough to defeat a person.

Signs of damage will be: drooling, constriction of the pupils (miosis), difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, convulsions, paralysis. With severe damage, signs of poisoning develop very quickly. After about 1 minute, loss of consciousness occurs and severe convulsions are observed, turning into paralysis. Death occurs within 5-15 minutes from paralysis of the respiratory center and heart muscle.

A gas mask and protective clothing can be used as personal protective equipment. It is worth saying that to provide first aid to the affected person, a gas mask is put on him and the antidote is injected into him using a syringe tube or by taking a tablet. If nerve agents come into contact with skin or clothing, the affected areas are treated with liquid from an individual anti-chemical package.

Toxic substances vesicant action(mustard gas, lewisite) have a multilateral damaging effect. In a droplet-liquid and vapor state, they affect the skin and eyes, when inhaling vapors - the respiratory tract and lungs, and when ingested with food and water - the digestive organs. A characteristic feature of mustard gas is the presence of a period of latent action (the lesion will not disappear immediately, but after some time - 4 hours or more). Signs of damage will be redness of the skin, the formation of small blisters, which then merge into large ones and after two or three days they burst, turning into hard healing ulcers. Eyes are very sensitive to mustard gas. If O B drops or aerosol gets into your eyes, you will experience a burning sensation, itching and increasing pain within 30 minutes. The lesion quickly develops in depth and mostly results in loss of vision. With any local damage, agents cause general poisoning of the body, which results in fever and malaise.

When using blister agents, it is extremely important to wear a gas mask and protective clothing. If OB drops get on your skin or clothing, the affected areas are immediately treated with liquid from an individual anti-chemical bag.

Toxic substances suffocating effect(phosgene, diphosgene) affect the body through the respiratory system. Signs of damage will be a sweetish, unpleasant taste in the mouth, cough, dizziness, and general weakness. These phenomena disappear after leaving the source of infection, and the victim feels normal within 2-12 hours, unaware of the damage he has received. During this period (hidden action), pulmonary edema develops. Then breathing may sharply worsen, a cough with copious sputum, headache, fever, shortness of breath, and palpitations may appear. Death usually occurs on the second or third day. If the critical period has passed, then the condition of the affected person gradually begins to improve, and after 2-3 weeks recovery may occur.

In case of defeat, a gas mask is put on the victim, they are taken out of the contaminated area, they are covered warmly and they are provided with peace. Under no circumstances should you perform artificial respiration on the victim.

Toxic substances generally toxic(hydrocyanic acid, cyanogen chloride) affect only when inhaling air contaminated with their vapors (they do not act through the skin). Signs of damage will be a metallic taste in the mouth, throat irritation, dizziness, weakness, nausea, sharp convulsions, paralysis. It is worth saying that to protect against them it is enough to use only a gas mask.

To help the victim, you need to crush the ampoule with the antidote and insert it under the gas mask helmet. In severe cases, the victim is given artificial respiration, warmed up and sent to a medical center.

Toxic substances irritating effect(CS - CS, adamsite, etc.) cause acute burning and pain in the mouth, throat and eyes, severe lacrimation, coughing, difficulty breathing.

Toxic substances psychochemical action(BZ - Bi-Z) specifically act on the central nervous system and cause mental (hallucinations, fear, depression) or physical (blindness, deafness) disorders. Signs of damage will include dilated pupils, dry mouth, increased heart rate, dizziness, and muscle weakness.

After 30-60 minutes, weakening of attention and memory, decreased reactions to external stimuli are observed. The affected person loses orientation, phenomena of psychomotor agitation occur, periodically giving way to hallucinations. Contact with the outside world is lost, and the affected person is unable to distinguish reality from the illusory ideas occurring in his mind. The consequence of impaired consciousness will be insanity with partial or complete loss of memory. Some signs of damage persist for up to 5 days.

When affected by irritating and psychochemical agents, it is extremely important to treat the infected areas of the body with soapy water, rinse the eyes and nasopharynx thoroughly with clean water, and shake out or brush clothes. Victims should be removed from the contaminated area and given medical care.

Note that the territory within which mass casualties of people and farm animals occurred as a result of exposure to chemical weapons is called source of chemical damage. Its dimensions depend on the scale and method of application of the agent, the type of agent, meteorological conditions, terrain and other factors.

Particularly dangerous are persistent nerve agents, the vapors of which spread in the wind over a fairly large distance (15-25 km or more). Therefore, people and animals can be affected by them not only in the area where chemical munitions are used, but also far beyond its borders .

The duration of the damaging effect of agents is shorter, the stronger the wind and rising air currents. In forests, parks, ravines, and on narrow streets, agents persist longer than in open areas.

Note that the territory that was directly exposed to the enemy’s chemical weapons, and the territory over which a cloud of contaminated air spread in damaging concentrations, is called zone of chemical contamination. There are primary and secondary zones of infection. The primary zone is formed as a result of exposure to a primary cloud of contaminated air, the source of which will be vapors and aerosols of chemical agents that appeared directly from the explosion of chemical munitions; the secondary zone - as a result of the influence of a cloud, which is formed during the evaporation of droplets of chemical agents that settled after the explosion of chemical munitions.

Biological weapons

Biological weapons will be a means of mass destruction of people, farm animals and plants. Its action is based on the use of pathogenic properties of microorganisms (bacteria, rickettsia, fungi, as well as toxins produced by certain bacteria). Biological weapons include formulations of pathogenic microorganisms and means of delivering them to the target (missiles, aircraft bombs and containers, aerosol sprays, artillery shells, etc. .)

Biological weapons are capable of causing massive dangerous diseases in humans and animals over vast areas; they have a damaging effect over a long period of time and have a long latent (incubation) period of action. Microbes and toxins are difficult to detect in the external environment; they can penetrate with the air into unsealed shelters and rooms and infect people and animals in them. Signs of the enemy's use of biological weapons will be: the dull sound of shells and bombs exploding, unlike conventional ammunition; the presence of large fragments and individual parts of ammunition in places of explosions; the appearance of drops of liquid or powdery substances on the ground; unusual accumulation of insects and mites in areas where ammunition ruptures and containers fall; mass diseases of people and animals. Except as stated above, the enemy's use of biological agents can be determined through laboratory testing.

As biological agents, the enemy can use pathogens of various infectious diseases: plague, anthrax, brucellosis, glanders, tularemia, cholera, yellow and other types of fever, spring-summer encephalitis, typhus and typhoid fever, influenza, malaria, dysentery, smallpox and etc. Except for the above, botulinum toxin can be used, which causes severe poisoning of the human body. It is worth saying that to infect animals, along with the pathogens of anthrax and glanders, it is possible to use the viruses of foot and mouth disease, cattle and bird plague, swine cholera, etc. It is worth saying that to infect agricultural plants it is possible to use pathogens of cereal rust, potato late blight, and late wilt corn and other crops; insects - pests of agricultural plants; phytotoxicants, defoliants, herbicides and other chemicals.

Infection of people and animals occurs as a result of inhalation of contaminated air, contact with microbes or toxins on the mucous membrane and damaged skin, consumption of contaminated food and water, bites of infected insects and ticks, contact with contaminated objects, injury from fragments of ammunition filled with biological agents, as well as as a result of direct communication with sick people (animals) A number of diseases are quickly transmitted from sick people to healthy ones and cause epidemics (plague, cholera, typhus, influenza, etc.)

The main means of protecting the population from biological weapons include: vaccine-serum preparations, antibiotics, sulfonamide and other medicinal substances used for special and emergency prevention of infectious diseases, personal and collective protective equipment, chemicals used to neutralize pathogens of infectious diseases.

If signs of the enemy using biological weapons are detected, immediately put on gas masks (respirators, masks), as well as skin protection and report this to the nearest civil defense headquarters, the director of the institution, the head of the enterprise, or the organization.

The source of biological damage is considered to be cities, towns and national economic facilities that have been directly exposed to biological agents that create a source of spread of infectious diseases. Its boundaries are determined on the basis of biological reconnaissance data, laboratory studies of samples from environmental objects, as well as identification of patients and ways of spreading emerging infectious diseases. Armed guards are installed around the outbreak, entry and exit are prohibited, as well as the removal of property,

To prevent the spread of infectious diseases among the population in the affected area, a set of anti-epidemic and sanitary and hygienic measures is carried out: emergency prevention; observation and quarantine; sanitary treatment of the population; disinfection of various contaminated objects. If necessary, destroy insects, ticks and rodents (disinsection and deratization)