Russian deserter reveals battle secrets of protecting nuclear base

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On the day of Russia's full-scale intrusion of Ukraine in February 2022, Anton says the nuclear tools base he was offering at was put on complete combat alert.

"Before that, we had just exercises. But on the day the battle began, the tools were fully in position," says the previous policeman in the Russian nuclear forces. "We were ready to introduce the forces right into the sea and air and, theoretically, execute a nuclear strike."

I met Anton in a trick place outside Russia. For his own protection, the BBC will not expose where. We have also changed his name and are not showing his face.

Anton was an police officer at a top-secret nuclear tools center in Russia.

He has revealed us documents confirming his unit, place and base.

The BBC is not able to independently validate all the occasions he explained, although they do chime with Russian declarations at the moment.

3 days after soldiers poured over Ukraine's boundaries, Vladimir Putin announced that Russia's nuclear deterrence forces had been ordered right into a "unique setting of combat solution".

Anton says that combat alert remained in place on day among the battle and claims his unit was "closed inside the base".

"All we had was Russian specify TV," says the previous policeman, "I didn't actually know what everything meant. I immediately accomplished my tasks. We just weren't battling in the battle, we were simply protecting the nuclear tools."

The specify of alert was terminated, he includes, after 2 to 3 weeks.

Anton's statement offers an understanding right into the top-secret internal workings of the nuclear forces in Russia. It's very unusual for solution participants to talk with reporters.

"There's a really stringent option process there. Every person is a professional soldier - no conscripts," he explains.

"There are consistent inspects and lie-detector tests for everybody. The pay is a lot greater, and the soldiers aren't sent out to battle. They're there to either drive away, or accomplish, a nuclear strike."

The previous policeman says life was snugly controlled.

"It was my duty to ensure the soldiers under me didn't take any phones on the nuclear base," he explains.

"It is a shut culture, there are no strangers there. If you want your moms and dads to visit, you need to send a request to the FSB Security Solution 3 months in advance."

Anton was component of the base's security unit - a rapid-reaction force that protected the nuclear tools.

"We had continuous educating exercises. Our response time was 2 mins," he says, with a tip of satisfaction.

Russia has about 4,380 functional nuclear warheads, inning accordance with the Federation of American Researchers, but just 1,700 are "released" or ready for use. All the Nato participant specifies combined have a comparable number.

There are also concerns about whether Putin could opt to release "non-strategic", often called tactical, nuclear tools. These are smaller sized missiles that usually do not cause extensive radioactive results.

Their use would certainly however lead to an unsafe escalation in the battle.

The Kremlin is doing all it can to test the West's nerves.

Just recently Putin ratified changes to the nuclear teaching - the official rules dictating how when Russia can introduce nuclear tools.

The teaching currently says Russia can introduce if it comes under "large attack" from conventional missiles by a non-nuclear specify but "with the involvement or support of a nuclear mention".

Russian authorities say the upgraded teaching "effectively gets rid of" the opportunity of its loss on the field of battle.

But is Russia's nuclear arsenal fully functional?

Some Western experts have recommended its tools mainly day from the Soviet era, and might not also work.

The previous nuclear forces police officer turned down that opinion as a "very streamlined view from supposed experts".

"There may be some antique kinds of tools in some locations, but the nation has a substantial nuclear arsenal, a huge quantity of warheads, consisting of consistent combat patrol ashore, sea and air."

Russia's nuclear tools were fully functional and battle-ready, he maintained. "The work to maintain the nuclear tools is performed constantly, it never ever quits also for one min."

Soon after the full-scale battle started, Anton said he was provided what he defines as a "crook purchase" - to hold talks with his soldiers using very specific written standards.

"They said that Ukrainian private citizens are combatants and should be ruined!" he says loudly. "That is a red line for me - it is a battle criminal offense. I said I will not spread out this propaganda."

Elderly policemans reprimanded Anton by moving him to a normal attack brigade in another component of the nation. He was informed he would certainly be sent out to battle.

These units are often sent out into fight as the "first wave" and a variety of Russian deserters have informed the BBC that "troublemakers" that challenge the battle have been used as "cannon fodder".

The Russian consular office in London didn't reply to a ask for remark.

Before he could be sent out to the front line, Anton authorized a declaration choosing not to participate in the battle and a lawbreaker instance was opened up versus him. He revealed us documents confirming his move to the attack brigade and information of the wrongdoer instance.

He after that decided to take off the nation with the help of a offer organisation for deserters.

"If I had run far from the nuclear forces base, after that the local FSB Security Solution would've responded emphatically and I probably would not have had the ability to leave the nation," he said.

But he thinks that, because he had been moved to a normal attack brigade, the system of high-level security clearance failed.

Anton said he wanted the world to know that many Russian soldiers were versus the battle.

The offer organisation that helps deserters, "Idite Lesom" 'Go by the Forest', in English, or 'Get Lost' has informed the BBC that the variety of deserters looking for help has climbed to 350 a month.

The threats to those fleeing are expanding, too. At the very least one deserter is eliminated after fleeing abroad, and there have been several instances of guys being forcibly returned to Russia and put on test.

Although Anton has left Russia, he says security solutions are still looking for him there: "I take precautions here, I work off guides and I do not show up in any official systems."

He says he has quit talking with his friends at the nuclear base because he could put them in threat: "They must take lie-detector tests, and any contact with me could lead to a wrongdoer situation."

But he is under no impression about the risk he is himself in by aiding various other soldiers to leave.

"I understand the more I do that, the greater the chances they could try and eliminate me."

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