this post was submitted on 10 Jul 2025
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You Should Know

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Varyk@sh.itjust.works
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YSK about Stanislav Petrov, awarded in 2006 as "the man who averted nuclear war" (metro.co.uk)
submitted 2 weeks ago by Varyk@sh.itjust.works to c/youshouldknowfacts@sh.itjust.works
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Sometimes doing the right thing makes a big difference.

in 1983, Petrov, a Soviet Lt Col, received multiple reports of US missiles being fired at the USSR but decided not to report the missiles to his direct superiors, who could order a retaliatory nuclear strike.

Petrov decided that the reports were more likely a system malfunction than a genuine attack from the US.

He was right; the detected "missiles" turned out to be reflected sunlight.

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