War in Ukraine: “Since day one, nuclear weapons have been ready to be used,” says Russian deserter officer

A rare and disturbing testimony sheds light behind the scenes of Russian nuclear forces. Igor (not his real name), a former officer turned deserter, describes to the BBC the first days of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. From the launch of what Vladimir Putin called an “operation special”, the top-secret nuclear base where he served was placed on high alert. The BBC, which collected his comments under strict anonymity, specifies that it cannot independently verify all the facts reported. However, some elements of his account agree with official Russian statements at the time. To support his claims, Igor presented documents confirming his rank, unit and base.

Staff subjected to lie detector

“Until then, our activities were limited to exercises. But the day the war started, the weapons were ready to be used. We could deploy our air and naval forces, and, theoretically, carry out a nuclear strike,” explains -he. According to Igor, his unit was immediately confined and put on alert.

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This testimony is all the more exceptional as the operation of Russian nuclear forces is protected by almost absolute secrecy. “The selection of soldiers is very strict. All are professionals, never conscripts,” he specifies. In return for high pay and their exemption from combat on the front, the soldiers on nuclear bases are subjected to drastic constraints: “We are subject to permanent checks, including lie detectors. It was my responsibility to “ensure that no soldier took a cell phone onto the base,” he says. Life there is compartmentalized: “No foreigners are admitted. To receive a family visit, you must obtain authorization from the FSB, the Security Service, three months in advance.”

“The nuclear arsenal is immense and well maintained”

Igor also talks about incessant training exercises, with a reaction time limited to two minutes. Concerning the real state of the Russian nuclear arsenal, he rejects the doubts of certain Western experts, who believe that a large part of the equipment dates from the Soviet era and may not work. “It’s a very simplified vision of so-called experts,” he says. While he admits that old weapons exist in certain areas, he affirms that the country has a “huge arsenal”, “numerous nuclear warheads” and units on constant patrol on land, at sea and in the air. According to him, Russian nuclear weapons are operational and regularly maintained.

An association helping deserters receives 350 requests per month

After the start of the war, Igor says he received what he considers a “criminal order. They told us that Ukrainian civilians were fighters to be eliminated. It was a red line that I could not cross.” Refusing to spread this propaganda, he was punished and transferred to a regular assault brigade. He was then informed that he would be sent to the front. Fearing this order, he decides to flee Russia with the help of an organization for deserters. “If I had deserted from my nuclear base, the FSB would have acted immediately, and I probably would never have left the country. But my transfer to a regular unit weakened security controls.” Now exiled, Igor claims that the Russian services continue to hunt him down. According to the organization “Idite Lesom” (“Go to the forest”, or “Get lost”), which assists Russian deserters, around 350 soldiers request their help each month. But the risks involved remain high: fugitives have been killed, while others, forcibly returned to Russia, have been tried. Despite everything, Igor insists on one message: many Russian soldiers oppose this war.