Kyiv City Council to Distribute Potassium Iodine Tablets in Case of Russian Nuclear Attack

The city council of Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital and largest city, has announced that it will set up evacuation centers and provide potassium iodine tablets to prepare for a possible nuclear attack from Russia.

Since Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February, the war-torn country continued to fight back, reclaiming areas once taken by Russian troops and working to repel the offensive.

Ukrainian forces have recently made significant gains in the south, raising flags over the villages of Arkhanhelske, Myroliubivka, Khreshchenivka, Mykhalivka and Novovorontsovka.

Speaking in his nightly video address on Tuesday evening, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said dozens of settlements had been taken over “from the Russian pseudo-referendum this week alone” in the four annexed regions. In the Kherson region, he listed eight villages that Ukrainian forces took over, “and this is far from a complete list. Our soldiers are not stopping”.

However, Russian troops continue their deadly missile strikes on major cities, cutting off electricity and severely damaging Ukrainian infrastructure.

Although it was not explicitly stated that nuclear weapons would be used in the war, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would “use all means at our disposal” to win the war while his ground forces would withdraw from a Ukrainian counterattack.

For now, analysts cautiously suggest that the risk of Putin using the world’s largest nuclear arsenal still seems low. The US Central Intelligence Agency said it had seen no signs of an impending Russian nuclear attack.

Yet Putin’s promises to use “every means at our disposal” to defend Russia as he wages war in Ukraine are taken very seriously. And his assertion last Friday that the United States “set a precedent” by dropping atomic bombs in World War II further raised the nuclear stakes.

Kyiv City Council said potassium iodine tablets will be distributed to residents of areas contaminated by nuclear radiation if evacuation is needed.

How Do Potassium Iodine Pills Work?

FILE – Potassium iodine pills are seen in this illustration photo. (STR/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Potassium iodine pills can help block the absorption of harmful radiation by the thyroid gland if taken just before or immediately after exposure to nuclear radiation.

The pills work by preventing radioactive iodine from entering the thyroid. When a person takes potassium iodine, “the stable iodine from the drug is absorbed by the thyroid. There is so much stable iodine in the potassium iodine that the thyroid gland becomes ‘full’ and cannot no longer absorb iodine, whether stable or radioactive, for the next 24 hours,” according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It is important to note that while potassium iodine pills may protect your thyroid gland from absorbing harmful radiation, that is all they will do. Body parts as well as other organs will not be shielded from radiation exposure, the CDC said.

When and who should take potassium iodine?

As with most things, too much of anything is never a good idea. The CDC recommends taking only one dose of potassium iodine in a 24-hour period.

Taking more than the recommended dose can actually lead to serious illness or even death.

The US Food and Drug Administration also described different doses depending on age.

Infants, children and adolescents should be given lower doses, as well as pregnant women, while adults 18 years and older should take the full recommended dose.

People who should avoid taking potassium iodine are anyone who may have an allergy to iodine and if they have certain skin disorders such as dermatitis herpetiformis or urticaria vasculitis, the CDC said.

But, as with everything, people who are considering taking potassium iodine pills should consult a doctor first.

Potassium Iodine Side Effects

Usually, taking potassium iodine in the right dosage and time period yields few negative results, according to the CDC, however, here are some side effects that have been reported as a result of taking it:

  • Rashes
  • Swollen salivary glands
  • “Iodism” (metallic taste, burning mouth and throat, sore teeth and gums, symptoms of a head cold, and sometimes stomach pain and diarrhea)
  • An allergic reaction can have more serious symptoms. These include fever and joint pain; swelling of certain parts of the body (face, lips, tongue, throat, hands or feet); difficulty breathing, speaking or swallowing; wheezing or shortness of breath. Severe shortness of breath requires immediate medical attention.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. This was reported from Los Angeles.

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