Russia only needs 30 minutes to respond to nuclear attack

The Cold War was a period that witnessed the most intense confrontation between the two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, with many times pushing the world to the brink of destruction by nuclear weapons.

The threat of a preemptive nuclear strike by an adversary forces countries to plan for countermeasures and responses to increase deterrence. Russia has also completed its nuclear response plan within 30 minutes of being attacked, based on response programs developed under the Soviet Union, according toRBTH.

Russian strategists assume that the country would be hit by a preemptive nuclear strike at 6 p.m. Moscow time, which is morning in the United States and the beginning of darkness in Moscow, a time when people are returning home and may encounter traffic jams that would make evacuation difficult.

Within one minute of detecting the launch of an enemy intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), Russia’s early warning network sends an alert signal to the missile defense command center. A series of long-range radars and satellites will determine the ICBM’s location, speed and trajectory, and calculate the time it will reach its target.

If the Russian Defense Ministry confirms that the country is facing a preemptive nuclear strike from US territory, the Russian government and its citizens would have less than 30 minutes to evacuate to safety. This time could be much shorter if the missile is launched from US strategic submarines in the Arctic, Atlantic or Pacific Oceans.

Three minutes after confirming the nuclear strike, the military will start the operation to evacuate the Russian President and government officials to several secret locations. One of them is the Tupolev Tu-214SR command and control aircraft, one of two special aircraft that always accompanies the Russian President on official trips.

The aircraft possesses a series of modern equipment, including the MRC-411 intelligence complex with electronic reconnaissance sensors, synthetic aperture radar for detecting threats from a distance, many signal reconnaissance systems and secret communications intelligence. The Tu-214SR helps the Russian President stay in touch with the armed forces and order retaliatory strikes in the event of a nuclear war. It is called the "doomsday plane" with a role similar to the US E-4B Nightwatch model.

The Kremlin appears to own at least three Tu-214SRs, each costing around $152 million.

Ten minutes after the launch of an enemy ICBM, the Russian president can choose to activate an automated nuclear command system called Perimeter, also known as “Dead Hand”. It ensures that the Russian military can launch a nuclear retaliatory strike even if the entire country’s leadership is killed or the ability to command strategic forces is disrupted.

The decision to launch the missile is made by an automated control system developed on the basis of complex artificial intelligence. Perimeter will receive and analyze information on seismic activity, radiation concentration, atmospheric pressure and military radio frequency concentration.

When a location with strong ionization and electromagnetic radiation is detected, the system will compare it with seismic data in that area to determine whether a massive nuclear attack on Russia is likely. If so, Perimeter will automatically initiate a response.

Similar to the US, the Russian government also has a contingency plan in case the President is killed in a preemptive strike. The Russian Prime Minister will be the first to take over the presidency to maintain command of strategic forces.

Within 15 minutes of detecting an enemy ICBM, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations (MChS) is responsible for notifying the population. The agency usually prioritizes evacuating people to the suburbs in case of danger, but this option cannot be implemented in the event of a preemptive nuclear strike.

MChS has developed a plan to use a series of public underground tunnels for people to take refuge. The Moscow metro network is one of the best evacuation sites. Train stations are located deep underground, minimizing the pressure and enormous heat from a nuclear explosion, many are equipped with thick steel doors and air filters to block out radioactive substances.

"The estimated time for people to get to the metro station and underground tunnel after receiving the evacuation notice is 10 minutes. In some cases, this time can be extended to a maximum of 15 minutes," analyst Nikolay Shevchenko quoted the emergency plan approved by the Russian Ministry of Construction.

Thirty minutes after being detected, the first enemy nuclear warheads will detonate over Moscow and other major Russian cities. By this time, the entire government and military command, as well as many Russian citizens, will have fled to safe havens. The country's ballistic missiles in the nuclear retaliation will also be on their way to their targets, ending a lightning nuclear war that is powerful enough to cause global destruction.