Footage unveiled on Wednesday depicted Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Beijing, where he was seen alongside officers carrying Russia’s nuclear briefcase, a top-secret device used for issuing orders related to nuclear strikes. After a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Putin was filmed as he moved to another appointment, surrounded by security personnel and accompanied by two Russian naval officers in uniform, each entrusted with one of these special briefcases. The nuclear briefcase, commonly referred to as “Cheget,” is a crucial element of the president’s security protocol but is rarely captured on film.
This essential suitcase acts as a secure communication tool that links the president to military high command and, in turn, to missile forces through the highly classified “Kazbek” electronic command-and-control network, which supports the “Kavkaz” system. It is notable that the Russian defense minister, currently Sergei Shoigu, also possesses a nuclear briefcase, and the chief of the general staff, presently Valery Gerasimov, may have one as well.
The briefcase contains a “launch” button and a “cancel” button within a “command” section and is activated by a specialized flashcard. This rare footage was captured as Putin’s visit to Beijing occurred amid escalating tensions between Moscow and Washington due to the Ukraine conflict, mirroring the heightened tensions of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. It is crucial to note that the United States also has a similar device known as the “nuclear football,” which contains codes for authorizing nuclear missile launches.
In light of the ongoing Ukraine crisis, Putin’s visit to China coincides with China’s efforts to enhance its nuclear arsenal as it aims to assert its status as a rising global superpower. Additionally, Russia’s parliament initiated steps to potentially revoke its ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, raising concerns about the future of international arms control agreements.
(Source: Guy Faulconbridge | Nick Macfie | Retuers)
