The Key to Armageddon: Russia's Nuclear Suitcase Gets Unlocked for the Public

The legendary nuclear briefcase, a special device used by the Russian head of state to authorise the use of nuclear weapons, was presented for the first time to the public in an “open” state by Zvezda, a TV channel run by Russia's Ministry of Defence.

As one of the channel's hosts Alexei Yegorov explained, the briefcase on display was kept by an officer who accompanied the Commander-in-Chief day and night.

​“I'd like to note that the 'launch' button is actually white... One of the briefcase's components is a flash card – it is individual, and it is one of the keys that put in,” he said, adding that the media outlet won't disclose other sensitive details of the briefcase's inner workings.

He also pointed that even though the briefcase that was presented to the public is an old model, about several decades old in fact, this is the first time that such a device was allowed to be shown on TV while opened.