Russian deserter reveals battle secrets of protecting nuclear base
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 police officer in the Russian nuclear forces. "We were ready to release the forces right into the sea and air and, theoretically, perform a nuclear strike."
I met Anton in a key 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, rate and base.
The BBC is incapable to independently confirm 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 police officer, "I didn't actually know what everything meant. I instantly accomplished my responsibilities. We just weren't combating 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 testament offers an understanding right into the top-secret internal workings of the nuclear forces in Russia. It's very unusual for solution participants to speak to reporters.
"There's a really rigorous choice process there. Everybody is a professional soldier - no conscripts," he explains.
"There are continuous examines 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 ward off, or execute, a nuclear strike."
The previous policeman says life was snugly controlled.
"It was my obligation 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 safesecured 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 prefer to release "non-strategic", often called tactical, nuclear tools. These are smaller sized missiles that typically 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 release nuclear tools.
The teaching currently says Russia can release if it comes under "huge attack" from conventional missiles by a non-nuclear mention but "with the engagement or support of a nuclear specify".
Russian authorities say the upgraded teaching "effectively removes" the opportunity of its loss on the battleground.
But is Russia's nuclear arsenal fully functional?
Some Western experts have recommended its tools primarily day from the Soviet era, and might not also work.
The previous nuclear forces police officer declined 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 huge 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 executed constantly, it never ever quits also for one min."
Soon after the full-scale battle started, Anton said he was offered what he explains as a "bad guy 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 react 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 offender instance was opened up versus him. He revealed us documents confirming his move to the attack brigade and information of the lawbreaker situation.
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 an average 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 increased to 350 a month.
The dangers 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 lawbreaker instance."
But he is under no impression about the risk he is himself in by assisting 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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