VOL. IV (XXI) 2009 - Departamentul de Filosofie si Stiinte ale ...

118 PUBLIC RELATIONS DISASTER AS A PARTICULAR SYMBOL OF POWER
reason why very often the western intelligence communities were able to
properly anticipate the Russia’s reaction, in terms of human cost, almost in
every political, economical and military crisis situation during Cold War and
after. Let us remember, for example, the war in Afghanistan, where Russia
stayed involved ten years even it was very soon evident, after the beginning
of war in 1979, that the price in human lives for the Russian armed forces it
gone be very high or, closer in time, the nuclear disaster from 1986 at
Chernobyl in Ukraine when Russia also had very easy used its own people in
order to clean the mess in a such a manner which would instantly horripilate
any western citizen.
Vladimir Putin at Kursk memorial monument
Crews on eternal patrol – tribute to Russia’s and United States sailors
who lost their lives on duty beneath the waves
During Cold War both superpower were involved in a silent war
beneath the waves. Long range deterrence patrols or special missions for
intelligence gathering were common things during those years.
Unfortunately, the accidents were inevitable. As it is known, now even by the
general public, United States had lost at least two cutting edge nuclear
submarines during Cold War era, USS Thresher SSN – 593 in 1963 and
USS Scorpion SSN – 589 in 1968. Russia had also its part in this chapter
with the loss of K – 129 in 1968 and K – 278 in 1989. These two tragedies
are relatively known by the general opinion but, of course, the list of them is