27 November 2024
A former officer at a top-secret Russian nuclear weapons facility has revealed the secrets of life at the base after deserting from the country. Anton, not his real name, said the nuclear weapons base he was serving at was put on full combat alert on the day of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. He also rejected the view that Russia’s nuclear weapons mostly date from the Soviet era and might not work; saying they are fully operational and battle-ready. The BBC is unable to independently verify all the events he described, although they do correspond with Russian statements at the time.
