Originally Posted by
Winemaker
To have an EMP effect the explosion has to take place in the upper atmosphere. The effect wasn't discovered until an American high altitude burst 'Starfish Prime' took place, knocking out some power in Hawaii, 900 miles from the detonation center. The altitude of the shot was about 250 miles. A tactical low altitude burst wouldn't cause a major EMP event. It certainly would cause other effects.....
This video discusses Putin's EMP option from about the 20:20 minute mark - for example a high altitude burst over Brussels would take out components of the electrical grid and critical infrastructure from Poland to Ireland.
He also mentions that the Euro grid is not EMP hardened, whereas the Russian grid has been hardened. The US is supposedly looking at hardening their own grid.
The Mitchell Institute's Nuclear Deterrence and Missile Defense Forum hosts Dr. Peter Pry, Executive Director of Task Force on National and Homeland Security for a discussion on evolving events in Ukraine, the performance of the Russian military, NATO, U.S. responses, and implications for the future.