Russia has been preparing fleet for nuclear strikes on Europe since 2008 - FT

These documents were developed between 2008 and 2014. They contain maps with potential targets on the western coast of France and the coordinates of the naval base in Barrow-in-Furness in northern Great Britain.

The documents also emphasize that Russia has maintained the capability to deploy tactical nuclear weapons on surface ships despite international agreements. Among the carriers of such weapons mentioned are "anti-submarine missiles with nuclear warheads placed on surface ships and submarines" and "ship and shore-based anti-aircraft guided missiles with nuclear warheads to defeat enemy air defence groups."

Notably, potential attacks on these targets were detailed in a presentation for Russian officers, which preceded the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The presentation also included information that Russia had retained the capability to carry nuclear weapons on surface ships, which experts say poses significant additional risks of escalation. It was suggested that "sudden and pre-emptive blows" and "massive missile strikes from various directions" be carried out.

Russian officers were informed that nuclear weapons are "as a rule" intended for use "in combination with other means of destruction" to achieve Russia's goals.

The Financial Times writes that, according to the documents, the targets of Russia's Baltic Fleet are mostly located in Norway and Germany, including the naval base in Bergen, as well as radar stations and special forces facilities.

The presentation also demonstrates how its doctrine could be applied in potential wars in the Black and Caspian Seas, and even in the Pacific Ocean.

"The scenarios include wars with current allies, such as China, Iran, Azerbaijan, and North Korea," the document says.

Western experts note that these plans confirm Russia's readiness to quickly use nuclear weapons.

"They see these things [tactical nuclear warheads] as potentially war-winning weapons. They’re going to want to use them, and they’re going to want to use them pretty quickly," said Jeffrey Lewis, a professor at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies.

Another expert, William Alberque, a former NATO official, added that the Kremlin seeks to create fear of nuclear weapon use to gain an advantage in negotiations with the West. According to him, Russia's ability to strike Europe means that targets across the continent would be at risk from the very start of a conflict.

Alberque also explained that the military targets mentioned in the secret materials are a small part of "hundreds, if not thousands, of targets mapped across Europe... including military and critical infrastructure targets."

It was reported that in June 2023, Russian military personnel from the 12th GRU unit conducted exercises in Kaliningrad, where they practiced loading anti-ship cruise missiles onto a Tarantul-class corvette. According to NATO, undeclared stockpiles of Russian tactical nuclear warheads are stored in this region.

Journalists reported that footage from the exercises shows Russian servicemen practicing missile handling, indicating the potential for rapid deployment of nuclear weapons in the event of an escalation of the conflict.

The Japanese Prime Minister recently criticized Russia's nuclear threats amid global disarmament efforts. It is also known that the United Kingdom aims to develop missiles against Russian nuclear weapons.

RBC-Ukraine also reported that North Korea supplied Russia with equipment for Russian nuclear weapons production.