The experimental missile Russia launched last week looked like one thing but was ultimately something else, but it was the first serious warning about the elephant in the room in the Ukraine war that no one wanted to talk about. The “nuclear” issue seems fundamental, being as important on the battlefield as it is in the foreseeable “diplomacy” that will end the conflict. Therefore, the fact that a Russian officer has escaped is vital information for one of the parties. Because he was not an ordinary officer and because Russia had renewed its nuclear doctrine.

Nuclear alert. The BBC exclusively interviewed a former senior Russian officer who worked at a nuclear base at the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine. For obvious reasons, no real names are given, let alone footage of the escaping man, but it does offer a number of very relevant data about the operation and the secrets the base’s device is hiding that could change everything.

As he explains in first-person, on February 24, 2022, the day Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a Russian nuclear base went on high war alert, and he was a part of it.

Ready to launch. According to Anton, the former nuclear forces officer interviewed, the base’s nuclear weapons were ready for use. “The day the war started, we were ready to push the button and launch a nuclear attack from land, sea and air,” he says.

Although this warning was rescinded three weeks later, Anton maintains that the Russian nuclear arsenal is fully operational, subject to constant maintenance and prepared for any scenario. His statement also contradicts the views of some Western experts who question the functionality of Russian nuclear weapons, suggesting that many of them are leftovers from the Soviet era.

Daily life at a nuclear base. Russia is estimated to have about 4,380 operational nuclear warheads, but only 1,700 are “deployed,” or ready for use, according to the Federation of American Scientists. In the instant case, the base where the former officer served was a highly controlled environment exclusive to professional soldiers selected through stringent evaluation processes, including constant tests such as polygraphs. Under this regime, officers and soldiers had the duty to protect nuclear weapons and guarantee their functionality.

Anton describes life on the base as a “closed society”; Any outside interaction, such as visiting relatives, requires approval from the Federal Security Service (FSB) three months in advance. Additionally, it was forbidden to bring phones or other electronic devices onto the base, and soldiers’ movements were constantly monitored.

Orders out of line. Among the former officer’s statements, the man says that shortly after the conflict began, he received instructions to teach his subordinates lessons that would justify the destruction of Ukrainian civilians, labeling them as combatants.

According to Anton, these orders were clearly criminal, and his refusal to comply with them earned him a transfer to a conventional assault brigade. The former officer explains that these units, known for being sent to the front lines of combat, often use “problem” soldiers as cannon fodder.

Fault or fight. The big question why he decided to end the Russian ranks is explained in the justification given above. Faced with the danger of being left at the front, Anton decided to escape with the help of the organization “Idite Lesom”, which supported Russian soldiers who refused to participate in the war.

The man apparently managed to escape the country but is living underground to avoid being tracked by Russian security services, who are still actively searching for him. It was also stated that the former police officer cut off all communication with his former colleagues in order to protect them, on the grounds that any contact could endanger them due to the checks and lie detector tests they were subjected to.

Increase in job departures and related risks. As for the organization, “Idite Lesom” reports that approximately 350 Russian soldiers each month seek help in escaping, despite the increasing risks that include serious reprisals such as extrajudicial execution or forced deportation to face trial in Russia.

In his report, Anton emphasizes that many Russian soldiers were against the war, but the country’s extremely repressive military system suppressed any opposition. The man concludes by explaining that, despite personal risks, his aim is to make visible internal dissent in the Russian armed forces and to warn about the repressive dynamics driving the Kremlin’s war effort.

Image | Jonathan McIntosh

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