Inside Russia's nuclear forces: Ex‑officer reveals all

BBC journalists met with Anton, a former officer of the Russian nuclear forces, outside Russia. For security reasons, the BBC is not disclosing the location of the meeting. They also changed his name and are not showing his face, the network states.

Anton served as an officer at a highly secretive nuclear facility in Russia.

He showed documents confirming his place of service, military rank, and unit. BBC cannot independently verify all the events he described, but they align with the statements of Russian officials from that time.

Three days after Russian troops crossed into Ukraine, Vladimir Putin announced that Russian nuclear deterrent forces were put on a "special mode of combat service."

Anton claims that on the first day of the war, a combat alert was announced at his base, adding that his unit was "shut inside the base."

- All we had was Russian state TV - he says. - I didn’t really know what it all meant. I automatically carried out my duties. We weren’t fighting in the war, we were just guarding the nuclear weapons - he adds.

According to him, the elevated state of readiness was canceled after two or three weeks.

Anton claims that to get into the unit, one had to undergo a series of checks, including lie detector tests for everyone. - The pay is much higher, and the troops aren’t sent to war. They’re there to either repel, or carry out, a nuclear strike.

The former officer discusses the strict control of all aspects of life. He explains, "It was my responsibility to ensure the soldiers under me didn’t take any phones to the nuclear base."

- It's a closed community; there are no outsiders. If you wanted your parents to visit, you had to apply to the FSB three months before the planned visit - he adds.

Anton was a member of the unit responsible for the security of the base - rapid response forces that protect nuclear weapons. They had only two minutes to react in an emergency situation.

According to the Federation of American Scientists, Russia has about 4,380 active nuclear warheads, but only 1,700 are "deployed," meaning ready for use. NATO countries collectively possess a similar number of warheads.

There are concerns that Vladimir Putin might decide to use tactical nuclear weapons. These are smaller-caliber missiles that typically do not cause massive radioactive fallout.

Last week, Putin approved changes to the nuclear doctrine - the official rules outlining when and how Russia may use nuclear weapons.

The doctrine currently indicates that Russia may use a missile in the event of a "massive attack" with conventional missiles by a non-nuclear state but "with the participation or support of a nuclear state."

Anton recounts that shortly after the war began, he received a "criminal order" – to conduct propaganda among the soldiers in line with specific written instructions.

- They said that Ukrainian civilians are combatants and should be destroyed - he said. - That’s a red line for me - it’s a war crime. I said I won’t spread this propaganda - the military man stated.

For his refusal, Anton was punished with a reprimand and transferred to a regular assault brigade in another part of the country. He was told he would be sent to war.

Before being sent to the front, he filed for refusal to participate in the war, which resulted in him being put before a military court. Anton showed documents confirming his transfer and the details of the proceedings.

With the help of a volunteer organization aiding deserters, Anton managed to escape the country.

- If I had run away from the nuclear forces base, then the local FSB Security Service would’ve reacted decisively and I probably wouldn’t have been able to leave the country - he says.

Anton is wanted by Russian services. He cut contact with friends from the base to avoid putting them at risk.