Five life-saving steps you must take IMMEDIATELY after nuclear bomb attack if deranged Putin blitzes West
DERANGED Vladimir Putin is threatening a nuclear winter - so it pays to be prepared for the worst.
All-out war would wipe out millions in minutes, but experts say there are some vital steps you can take to up your chances of survival.
Fears are growing "cornered rat" Vlad will go nuclear as he runs out of options in his disastrous war in Ukraine.
Just a week ago he threatened a "global catastrophe" in his desperation to cling on to power.
Nato fears he will detonate a warhead in the Black Sea as a show of force, or launch a tactical nuke on Ukraine.
Mounting concerns prompted UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace to fly to Washington this week for crisis talks.
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A security source told The Sun starkly: “The threat has increased recently.”
It comes after months of Putin's mouthpieces calling for Russia to blitz Europe and the US into a radioactive wasteland.
US President Joe Biden has warned the world is closer to Armageddon than at any time since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.
Putin himself repeated his vow to use "any means necessary" to defend his stolen lands in Ukraine.
Russia has the world's largest atomic arsenal - with around 6,000 warheads including low-yield battlefield nukes and ICBMs that zoom half-way round the world.
Experts say those close to a nuclear detonation have almost no chance of survival.
For those outside the immediate blast zone, the biggest danger is fallout - radioactive dust raining from the high atmosphere.
Experts say you have ten or 15 minutes to protect you and your family.
It warns the internet is likely to collapse in the event of nuclear war - so read these tips now:
Get inside
The first and most important step is to get inside a building as fast as you can.
Brick and concrete give the best shielding from radiation.
If you are outdoors when a bomb goes off - you will see the flash before the blast hits - shelter behind any object you can and lie flat.
After the shock wave you have up to ten minutes to get your family inside the nearest solid structure.
Even if you are caught outdoors in the fallout, it is still vital to get to a place of shelter.
Remove clothes
The next step is to remove all contaminated clothing if you have been outdoors.
Wash or wipe all exposed skin and hair with soap and water - a shower is best - and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
Hand sanitiser is useless against fallout, experts say.
And do not use disinfectant wipes on your skin.
You should also thoroughly clean any pets - brush fallout from fur and wash with soap and water.
Avoid the windows
Go to the basement if there is one, or at least the middle part of the building.
Stay away from exposed walls, windows and roofs to limit the chance of radiation.
As much as possible, you should try to keep away from people who are not part of your own household.
Practice Covid-style social distancing - stay 6ft away from others and wear a face mask.
Stay inside for at least 24 hours
Do not be tempted to go outside, unless instructed to by authorities.
The greatest danger from fallout is immediately following the blast, and it gradually reduces with time.
An emergency supply kit prepared in advance will help.
It should include bottled water and packaged foods to last three or more days, emergency medicines, a torch and batteries.
It is safe to eat or drink packaged food that was inside a building.
Do not consume food or liquids that were outdoors uncovered and may be contaminated by fallout.
Stay tuned
Listen out for updates from any media or official information that might be available.
It will tell you when it is safe to exit shelters and where to go for help.
A hand-crank or battery-powered radio is an essential piece of kit.
Mobile networks, television and internet services may be out of action.
Earlier this week we told how a Cold War expert created a nuclear survival kit using cheap items from Amazon and eBay.
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Officials reportedly have three ways they plan to let us know of an imminent nuke strike.
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But experts have warned the UK is woefully unprepared and should dish out iodine pills like in Ukraine and Finland.
Meanwhile, residents living in the shadow of "Europe's most dangerous building" already keep backpacks ready to evacuate at a moment's notice.