How Nuclear Briefcases Function in the Hands of the Presidents of the United States and Russia

 

What is the bag that the Presidents of the United States and Russia always carry? Whenever Biden and Putin are away from the presidential palace, a security officer takes care of them. This bag is known as the nuclear briefcase, among the most valuable and perilous objects globally. Capable of initiating a nuclear attack by deploying hundreds of atomic bombs, including intercontinental terrestrial ballistic missiles and ballistic missiles launched by submarines, these devices facilitate communication with military units responsible for launching nuclear weapons. In the United States, it is referred to as the nuclear football, while in Russia, it is known as cheget.

Nuclear Football

The U.S. Nuclear Briefcase Aligned with the American nuclear missile launch protocol, the President of the United States can initiate an atomic attack from fixed locations, such as the White House Situation Room. However, during travel, the president is accompanied by a briefcase weighing about 20 kg, the nuclear football, which only they can access. This briefcase theoretically allows the president to trigger a remote attack after passing an authentication process. The National Security Agency generates specific codes, "gold codes," printed on a credit card-sized plastic card called a "cookie." The president must have the cookie and the briefcase, remembering which codes are valid. If the president decides to authorize a nuclear attack, the codes are provided to the National Military Command Center for verification. The frequency of changing cookies and codes is undisclosed due to security reasons. The president can only authorize a nuclear attack in extreme emergencies, following instructions outlined in a black notebook within the briefcase, containing responses to various attack scenarios.

In an emergency, key state apparatus heads would meet instantly to explain options to the president, who then decides and gives the green light. Protocols exist for scenarios where the president is incapacitated or the briefcase is compromised, with the Vice President also equipped with a briefcase and escort cookie.

Russian Nuclear Briefcase (Cheget)

 The Russian President similarly cannot unilaterally decide to use nuclear weapons. According to the Russian nuclear launch protocol, approval from the Chief of Staff Interforce and the Minister of Defense is required to prevent hasty decisions. In an extreme emergency, these officials are informed of options, and the President, with their support, enters an encrypted code into a special briefcase known as cheget. Russia has three cheget briefcases, each corresponding to potentially involved state offices, ensuring redundancy for safety.

Activation of Nuclear Briefcases

 In one known case in January 1995, a Norwegian-American research missile launch from Norway triggered a false alarm in Russian missile analysis and interception systems. The then Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, took action with the nuclear briefcase, alerting key officials. Fortunately, the mistake was realized, and the briefcase was not activated.

Conclusion

The nuclear briefcases wielded by the Presidents of the United States and Russia are critical components of their countries' nuclear deterrence strategies, designed to be activated only in the most extreme circumstances, with elaborate authentication processes and emergency protocols in place.

 Today's Blogger

Hello, everyone! I'm Cristiano Pepe, a student in the 5th year of Liceo Scientifico. I'm thrilled to be part of this project because I have a deep love for reading, constantly seeking to broaden my horizons and discover new things. I'm fascinated by other people's passions and curiosities, which is why I'm eager to share in this space. Wishing you enjoyable reading and looking forward to our next encounter in the blog!