PRAGUE, March 2 (Reuters) - Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Vladimir Putin's comments that Moscow's nuclear deterrent is on high alert have unleashed a wave of anxiety in Central Europe, with people rushing to buy iodine which they believe may protect them from radiation.

From Poland to Bulgaria, people living in the former Soviet-era satellite states have also jammed passport offices, topped up their fuel tanks and prepared to leave at a moment's notice.

"In the past six days Bulgarian pharmacies have sold as much [iodine] as they sell for a year," said Nikolay Kostov, chair of the Pharmacies Union. "Some pharmacies are already out of stock. We have ordered new quantities but I am afraid they will not last very long."

"It's been a bit mad," said Miroslava Stenkova, a representative of Dr. Max pharmacies in the Czech Republic, where some stores had run out of iodine after demand soared.