Russian Deserter Reveals Nuclear Alert, Putin in Bunker, and War Crime Orders During Ukraine Invasion

Nov 26, 2024, 11:02 AM

A Russian deserter who served at a nuclear weapons base has revealed critical details about Russia's military actions at the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. According to the deserter, the nuclear base was placed on full combat alert on the first day of the war, and this status lasted for two to three weeks. The deserter also disclosed that Russian forces were subjected to constant lie-detector tests and that his unit was shut inside the base. He revealed that the unit was theoretically ready to conduct a nuclear attack. The deserter also stated that he received orders to treat Ukrainian civilians as combatants, which he refused, citing it as a war crime. The deserter's revelations include claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin was reportedly in a bunker away from Moscow during this period. The interview was conducted by the BBC.