Classified documents leaked to the media reveal the conditions under which Russia can use tactical nuclear weapons. Journalists from the “Financial Times” got acquainted with the files, who point out that the requirements are actually not much at all.
The plans were drawn up in the period 2008-2014 and number a total of 29 computer files. They include scenarios for military attacks, presentations for military officers, and principles and conditions for the use of tactical nuclear weapons.
“This is the first time we have seen such documents,” commented Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Center, Russia, Eurasia, in Berlin. “Their use requirements for nuclear weapons are terribly low,” he adds.
According to experts, the documents coincide with the Kremlin’s current military doctrine. The country’s defensive plans show serious doubt in the direction of China, although Moscow and Beijing have warmed relations in recent years.
It seems that the Kremlin is seriously preparing for a scenario in which Beijing launches a military attack on the country. According to the documents, a number of exercises related to a Chinese invasion are taking place in the eastern part of the country.
One of them described a hypothetical attack by China that could be responded to with a tactical nuclear weapon. “The order came from the Supreme Commander to use nuclear weapons if the South threatened to send a secondary wave of military force,” the documents said.
The conditions in general
A presentation for army officers discussed the broader criteria for a potential nuclear strike, including the entry of enemy troops into Russian territory. A victory over Russian units guarding the border or an imminent attack by an enemy army using conventional weapons is also described as a condition.
In the presentation, the conditions are presented as a combination of factors where Russian forces “will inevitably lose and will not be able to deal with enemy aggression”, which is assumed to be a “critical situation for the security of Russia”.
The conditions also include the destruction of 20 percent of Russia’s strategic ballistic missile submarines, the destruction of 30 percent of its nuclear submarines, three or more cruisers, three airfields, or a simultaneous attack on Russian military command centers.
The Russian military is also expected to use tactical nuclear weapons for a variety of purposes, such as “deterring enemy aggression, stopping enemy aggression, preventing the capture of Russian territories” and also “to increase the effectiveness of the Russian Navy.”
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