Part 1: What does putting nuclear forces on alert mean?

Vladimir Putin placed Russia’s nuclear weapons on a ‘special regime of combat readiness’ on February 27th, 2022. Most nuclear powers, the United States and Russia included, usually keep their nuclear weapons ready at all times. So how does this protocol differ?

What does “high alert” mean?

In this case, Russia increased the number of personnel at command centers and instructed military officers to be ready for the potential of a launch. Each country with nuclear weapons has its own procedures, but rising alert levels are associated with shortened times for launching nuclear weapons. For example, nuclear-armed bombers may be moved from shelters out to runways so they can more quickly take off. We have seen this behavior before -prior to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine -when Putin put Russia’s nuclear forces on alert when Russia invaded Crimea in 2014.

Putting its forces on high alert does not mean that Russia plans to use its nuclear weapons. However, going on nuclear alert is intended to signal that a country is willing to use weapons. Since the nuclear strike against Japan in 1945, countries have gone on nuclear alert a number of times. These numbers were higher during the height of the Cold War in the 1950s and 1960s. In general, going on nuclear alert suggests that the danger of nuclear war is increasing.

How did other countries respond?

The US, UK, or France could have escalated the situation by signaling their own willingness to use nuclear weapons. However, that has not happened. All three countries have kept their nuclear readiness at its current level and continue to stress the importance of diplomatic cooperation. If another nuclear power had responded to Russia’s signal then the chances of nuclear war would be much higher. White House officials say they view this increased alert status as an unnecessary move which escalates the conflict.

Why did Russia go on “high alert”?

The biggest question surrounding this conflict concerns Russia’s motivations. Potential reasons include: Russia could use the threat of nuclear weapons to convince Ukraine and its allies to give more concessions in negotiations, or, Russia could use the threat to prevent other countries from joining the conflict. The Russian government states that this is a defensive move to protect Russian interests and security. Either way, special alert status tangibly shortens launch times.

Generally, there are several factors in nuclear weapons systems that prevent accidental or unauthorized missile launch or explosion. Going on special alert removes certain steps that would otherwise delay a launch but does not remove these safeguards. Nonetheless, it does make these safeguards less effective as officials who give the order typically only have minutes to determine if a nuclear warning is accurate.