As we all know by now, this alarming series of events did not end in disaster. Despite the tension, the story ended up being made lighthearted at the end of that night’s late-night newscast, accompanied by a black comic song by Tom Lehrer. When we go, we all go together. (“…everything is full of incandescent radiance”).
BBC Newsnight presenter Jeremy Paxman said: “Before I leave, I must report that despite the best efforts of Russian news agencies, nuclear war did not break out today.” At 1:46 p.m., Moscow news agency Interfax reported: Reports began to come in that Russia had shot down an incoming missile. Thinking they were trying to secure a ringside seat to Armageddon, the reporters, shaken but unwavering, boldly claimed: “We are confident that the UK has not launched any missiles at Russia.” A Pentagon spokesperson was equally wise: “All we have is a report of a report.”
Politicians, military leaders and journalists spent frantic hours searching for information as the world’s foreign exchange markets reeled. At 14:52 GMT, those aware of the potential crisis were able to breathe again. Interfax corrected its report and said Russia’s early warning system had recorded the missile launch, but that the rocket landed on Norwegian territory.
Norwegian defense officials later confirmed that the launch took place peacefully. It was part of a regular scientific research program at a civilian rocket range, aimed at gathering information about the aurora borealis, a unique weather phenomenon also known as the aurora borealis. As planned, the rocket landed in the sea near the remote Arctic island of Spitsbergen, far beyond Russian airspace. Hours after the report was revealed to be false, anonymous Russian defense officials told Interfax that it was “too early to tell” whether the launch was intended to test an early warning radar system.
Source: BBC Culture – www.bbc.com
