
Its missiles can be fired from the land, by submarines and by airplanes. Of these, 1,588 are deployed and ready for use. The Federation of American Scientists estimates that Russia has 5,977 nuclear warheads, more than any other country. WHAT NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES DOES RUSSIA HAVE? the use of conventional weapons against Russia "when the very existence of the state is in jeopardy". an attack on critical government or military sites that would undermine the country's nuclear forces response actions data showing the launch of ballistic missiles aimed at Russia or its allies the use of nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destruction against Russia or its allies The 2020 doctrine presents four scenarios which might justify the use of Russian nuclear weapons: DO THE RUSSIANS HAVE RULES ON NUCLEAR LAUNCHES? Alternatively, he said it might just mean the Russians added staff to their nuclear facilities. Pavel Podvig, a senior researcher at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research in Geneva, said on Twitter that the order might have activated Russia's nuclear command and control system, essentially opening communication channels for any eventual launch order.

The phrase enhanced, or special, combat duty does not appear in Russia's nuclear doctrine, leaving military experts puzzled over what it might mean. The following day, Russia's defence ministry announced that its nuclear missile forces had been placed on "enhanced" combat duty. Putin said at the weekend that the nation's nuclear forces should be put on high alert. DID PUTIN'S 'HIGH ALERT' ORDER MAKE A LAUNCH MORE LIKELY? There is also a back-up system, known as Perimetr, which allows the General Staff to directly initiate the launch of land-based missiles, bypassing all the immediate command posts. It can send authorisation codes to individual weapons commanders, who would then execute the launch procedures.

The Russian General Staff has access to the launch codes and has two methods of launching nuclear warheads.

IF PUTIN GIVES THE NUCLEAR ORDER, WHAT HAPPENS? The Cheget does not contain a nuclear launch button but rather transmits launch orders to the central military command - the General Staff. A small briefcase, known as the Cheget, is kept close to the president at all times, linking him to the command and control network of Russia's strategic nuclear forces.
