Russia Drags World Closer to a SHTF Moment

There have been several concerning developments in Russia that don’t always make the mainstream media, but of which serious preppers should be aware. Let me list them:

1. Putin has supposedly told his generals to disregard the rules of war. This coincided with an increase in attacks on civilian structures and bridges in Kyiv, plus gas stations, electrical generation and distribution facilities, waterworks, and heating facilities. The increase in attacks on these civilian structures is designed to make Kyiv impossible to live in over the winter. It may also be in response to Ukraine’s attacks on Russian refineries, oil storage facilities, and Russian ecommerce companies. Regardless of the reasons, this represents a serious escalation by Russia, and some of these attacks may be considered war crimes.
   
   
2. Russia has upgraded many of its drones to use jet engines instead of propellers. Their faster speed makes it more difficult for the Ukrainians to shoot down the drones. The result is that Russia’s attacks are more successful, with a higher number of missiles and drones getting through Ukrainian air defenses.
   
   
3. Putin has also threatened to use nuclear weapons if NATO attacks the Suwalki Gap or Kaliningrad. The Suwalki Gap is a narrow land bridge between Poland and Lithuania that connects Belarus to Kaliningrad. If Russia takes over this critical strip of land, it will effectively cut Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia off from the rest of Europe, making them vulnerable to a Russian attack. As a result, the Suwalki Gap is critical to both Russia and NATO and could be the site of a future battle.
   
4. A case of pneumonic plague has broken out of a Russian laboratory in the Irkutsk Oblast. So far, there is one known death, and hundreds of people are reportedly quarantined after the government instituted anti-epidemic measures. Russia has scrubbed initial announcements of the plague from the media and is now denying anything is happening. That’s cause for concern, as we may not be told if the plague spreads.

Not Another Epidemic!

One case is a long way from ana epidemic, but it is worth monitoring, ecpecially when we are not getting accurate information from Russia.

While pneumonic plague can be treated with antibiotics, the most effective ones are intravenous antibiotics given in a clinical setting within the first 24 hours of infection. That’s fine for a small outbreak, but there won’t be enough drugs to go around in a severe one. Ciprofloxacin and even doxycycline taken orally can be used for post-exposure prophylaxis.

My suggestions:

• Stay away from Russians and anyone who has been to Russia.
• Avoid airline travel and travel hubs, like airports and busy train stations. If you must travel, do so by car.
•  Stockpile some antibiotics before people panic and your local pharmacy runs out.
• Determine at what point you will self-quarantine and start stocking supplies you will need.

How to Prep for This

I’ve talked about war causing inflation and shortages so many times that I am going to skip that and focus on food. Your best bet to survive a global catastrophe kicked off by the use of tactical nukes in Europe is to stockpile food and other consumable goods you rely on. Not just enough food for a few weeks, but food for months or years. Starvation is an ugly thing.

Once you source your food, distribute it in multiple hiding places. You don’t want to lose your entire stash if a large raiding party surprises you and attacks your house. 

Firearms and the training to use them effectively are also good preps, as is storing gasoline.