VLADIMIR Putin does the unthinkable and decides to unleash the first nuclear weapon used in a war in nearly 80 years – what happens next?
Russia has been wildly swinging its nuclear sabre as it continues to face disastrous defeats across the frontline in Ukraine.
And its feared that if Vlad find himself boxed into a corner, he could resort to using nuclear weapons.
Nukes have not been used in a war since the US dropped two bombs on Japan to end World War 2.
Putin has repeatedly raised the spectre of using the weapons – and its feared he could potentially be lining up a test in the Black Sea.
Moscow has red lines in its doctrine about when to use nukes – but they are softer than those in the West.
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The use of such a weapon has to be signed off by Mad Vlad himself before the orders are passed down the chain of command.
It has been claimed that the order going from the top to launch commanders could take as little as 10 minutes.
And a massive barrage of nukes could kill millions of people.
But how would we get from Putin deciding to use the device to Russian forces actually exploding a nuclear weapon?
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STEP ONE: VLAD MAKES UP HIS MIND
7Putin is the one who sets the creaking wheels of the Russian state in motion to begin a nuclear attack.
And a 2020 executive order reveals the circumstances in which Moscow details would use nukes as a means to "deterrence".
However, "deterrence" is defined as a "defensive" position – even though it is attacking an enemy which it consider a threat to Russia.
"The Russian Federation considers nuclear weapons exclusively as a means of deterrence, their use being an extreme and compelled measure, and takes all necessary efforts to reduce nuclear threat and prevent aggravation of interstate relations, that could trigger military conflicts, including nuclear ones," the document reads.
Vlad will have to order the use of nukes as defined within these relatively vague circumstances.
These are detailed in six wide-ranging points ranging from "deployment of missile systems" to "military build up".
Kremlin documents detail that "overall direction of state policy in the area of nuclear deterrence is carried out by the President of the Russian Federation".
STEP TWO: VLAD USES 'THE CHEGET'
Once Vlad has made up his mind – he will then reach for a nuclear briefcase known as "The Cheget".
It is understood there are three of the cases- all connected to a communications network known as "Kavkaz ".
The first is with Vlad at all times and two others are with high ranking members of Russian Federation.
Putin is often seen being followed by an aide carrying the case, which has a personalised key code and is kept under 24/7 supervision by an armed guard.
The briefcase – similar to the US's nuclear football – was developed in the early 1980s and was shown to the world for first time in 2019, with its contents being viewed up close on TV.
Inside the case is a white – not red – button and slots for a flash card which will have to inserted by Putin to begin the next stage of the attack.
STEP THREE: THE GENERAL STAFF
Unlike common wisdom though, Putin slammed his fist on the button will not launch his nukes – there are another few stages first in the war machine of Russia.
Vlad's order from "The Cheget" is transmitted to the General Staff, which is currently headed up by General Valery Gerasimov.
The General Staff oversees the military, navy, air force and missile units of Putin's army – and is based in Moscow.
It is understood that Putin's men will then follow his orders and begin preparation for a nuclear strike.
They are also have a way of superseding the next few steps using a system called "Perimeter" or "Dead Hand" – which allows them to directly launch land based missiles.
But it has been suggested by experts that Putin's military could be so dysfunctional – his generals might even STOP HIM from launching a nuke in this step.
STAGE FOUR:AUTHORISATION CODES
Once the General Staff have agreed to carry out Putin's order – they then get hold of the launch codes.
The launch codes are unlocked and then sent onwards to individual weapons commanders.
Once the codes have been receives, the field commanders are expected to follow them and begin launch procedures.
The orders will be sent to submarine commanders, missile silo chiefs and air force leaders who can begin the action.
It is understood this could also be sent down to battlefield commanders – such as those in Ukraine – who would have charge of smaller short range nukes.
Nuclear artillery shells and low yield Iskander missiles are considers some of the "tactical" nukes Putin could use in Ukraine.
STAGE FIVE: THE BIG RED BUTTON
Putin has made up his mind, he's activated "The Cheget", the General Staff have their orders, and they have activated the launch codes – now it rests in hands of the men who have to push the button.
With one swoop they could kill millions of people if Russia unleashed their largest nuclear warheads.
The biggest nuke ever tested by Russia was the 50megaton Tsar Bomba.
If such a device was dropped on London it would kill 6million people and see people as far away as Reading receive horror burns.
It has 1,570 times the combined energy of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear bombs which ended WW2.
Anyone caught inside the fireball would be "vaporised".
And whoever pulled the trigger on such a bomb would immediately become one of the biggest murderers in the history of mankind.
But just because they have received the order, that doesn't mean they will not pause and stop such a slaughter.
Lt. Colonel Stanislav Petrov famously became known as the "Man Who Saved The World" because he refused to carry out his orders.
Petrov was an officer on duty at a secret command centre south of Moscow when an chilling alarm went off.
It mistakenly signalled that the United States had launched intercontinental ballistic missiles carrying nuclear warheads.
Petrov was faced with an impossible choice, report the alarm to his superiors and potentially start a war – or bank on it being a false alarm.
Heroically and following his gut instinct, he decided to ignore the signal and hope it was a mistake.
He later said: "I categorically refused to be guilty of starting World War 3."
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"I felt like I was being led to an execution," he said of those dramatic moments.
Perhaps the Russian military is full of men like Petrov who could stand against Putin's madness if he did order a strike on Ukraine.
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