Nuclear strike scenario was practiced.

February 28, 2024 

Russian forces have practiced the use of tactical nuclear weapons at an early stage of a conflict with a major world power, according to a leak from Russian military files including scenarios of preparations for China’s invasion.

Financial Times reported.

The classified papers describe a threshold for the use of tactical nuclear weapons that is lower than Russia has ever publicly acknowledged. There are 29 secret Russian military files compiled between 2008 and 2014.

Criteria for a potential nuclear response range from an enemy invasion of Russian territory to more specific triggers, such as the destruction of 20% of Russian strategic ballistic missile submarines.

Despite the fact that the documents date back 10 years or more, experts argue that they are still relevant to modern Russian military doctrine.

The files of the exercises show that the Eastern Military District of Russia practiced numerous scenarios depicting the invasion by China. The drills provide a rare insight into how Russia views its nuclear arsenal as the cornerstone of its defence policy, and how it prepares troops for a first nuclear strike in some combat environments.

Russian scenarios for the use of nuclear weapons

One exercise describing a hypothetical Chinese attack provides that Russia, called the “Northern Federation” in the war training game, could respond with a tactical nuclear strike to stop the advance of the “South” with a second wave of invasion forces.

“The Commander-in-Chief gave the order … to use nuclear weapons … in the event of the enemy deploying second-tier units and the threat of further offensive of the “South” in the direction of the main strike,” the document reads.

A separate training presentation for non-Chinese Navy officers outlines broader criteria for a potential nuclear strike, including the landing of an adversary on Russian territory, the defeat of units responsible for guarding border areas, or an imminent conventional attack by an adversary.

The threshold is defined as a set of factors in which the losses of Russian troops “will irreversibly lead to their inability to stop major enemy aggression,” which is a “critical situation for Russia’s state security.”

Other possible conditions include the destruction of 20% of strategic ballistic missile submarines, 30% of nuclear attack submarines, three or more cruisers, three airfields or the simultaneous destruction of the main and reserve coastal command posts.

It is assumed that the Russian military will be able to use tactical nuclear weapons to achieve a wide range of goals, including “deterring states from aggression […] or escalation of military conflicts”, “suppressing aggression”, preventing the loss of battles or territory by Russian troops, as well as increasing the efficiency of the Russian navy.

https://charter97.org/en/news/2024/2/28/585449/