Russia has trained its navy to target locations deep inside Europe with nuclear-capable missiles in a potential conflict with NATO, according to secret files obtained and reviewed by the Financial Times. These files, dating from between 2008 and 2014, include detailed maps of targets across Europe.
These maps and plans predate the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and the report stated that the documents were shown to the Financial Times by Western sources.
The report by the Financial Times noted that Russia had previously simulated the use of tactical nuclear weapons in an early stage of a conflict with a major world power. The maps illustrate a sample of 32 NATO targets in Europe.
The documents obtained and reviewed by the Financial Times outline how Russia planned overwhelming strikes across Western Europe, with nuclear weapons intended for use in combination with other destructive weapons and means.
The files show that Russia retained the capability to carry nuclear weapons on surface ships, which increases the risks of escalation or even accidents. They also suggest that Russia views tactical nuclear weapons as potentially decisive in conflicts, the Financial Times reported.
Analysts for the Financial Times noted that the maps in the documents represent only a tiny fraction of the targets mapped across Europe, including military and other infrastructure. Russia's military strategy is described as aiming for "total war," with tactical nuclear weapons seen as crucial for achieving war-winning objectives.
The leaked documents also indicate that Russia has the capability to carry tactical nuclear weapons on surface ships despite a 1991 agreement to remove them. This capability includes anti-submarine missiles and anti-aircraft-guided missiles with nuclear warheads.
'Demonstration strike' could be used to scare Western countries
The files reviewed by the Financial Times and their reporting of these findings also reference a "demonstration strike," or the detonation of a nuclear weapon in a remote area, "in a period of immediate threat of aggression" before an actual conflict to scare Western countries. The file said that a strike like this would show "the intention to use nuclear weapons."
Recent Russian exercises have involved rehearsing the use of tactical nuclear weapons, consistent with the strategies outlined in the leaked documents. This preparation includes loading anti-ship missiles with nuclear warheads and practicing the handling and deployment of nuclear warheads, suggesting that the threat of nuclear escalation remains a significant aspect of Russia's military planning.