nuclear-news

Vladimir Putin again takes hold of the nuclear warfare suitcase

Putin takes back Russia’s nuclear button, Channel New Asia,  07 May 2012  MOSCOW: Russia’s newly sworn-in President Vladimir Putin Monday was handed the black suitcase Monday that controls the country’s vast nuclear arsenal moments after taking his oath to a third term.

With outgoing Kremlin leader Dmitry Medvedev standing at his side,
Putin was given command of the “nuclear suitcase” at a formal
post-inauguration ceremony overseen by Russian Defence Minister
Anatoly Serdyukov, official images showed.

The portable communications device uses a secret code called Cheget to
allow the country’s commander-in-chief to launch instruction that
could potentially trigger a nuclear attack against a foreign country.

Widely seen as a relic of the Cold War standoff between Moscow and
Washington, the suitcase remains at the president’s side at all times,
including on his foreign visits.

First developed in 1983, the system is usually carried by specially
assigned officers called “operators” and was first used by former
Soviet leader Konstantin Chernenko in 1984.

Although the president’s black suitcase is the most famous and
symbolic, it is actually one of three operated in Russia on a daily
basis.

The other two accompany the army’s chief of staff and the defence
minister.The strategic command centre must receive a coded signal from
each of the devices before it can launch a nuclear attack…..
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/1199766/1/.html

May 10, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Russia, weapons and war