The so called 'nuclear briefcase' that accompanies Russian President Vladimir Putin was caught on camera on Wednesday (Oct 18) as the president headed to a meeting after his talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The briefcase can be used to order a nuclear strike by the Russian president. The nuclear briefcase is rarely filmed.

After his meeting with Xi, as Putin walked to another meeting, he was surrounded by security officers and was followed by two Russian naval officers in uniform. Each of these officers carried a briefcase. One of these was the actual nuclear briefcase.

The briefcase is traditionally carried by Russian naval officers. The briefcase is known as the "Cheget". It is named after Mount Cheget in the Caucasus Mountains.

"There are certain suitcases without which no trip of Putin's is complete," the Kremlin correspondents of state news agency RIA said in a post on Telegram under the footage.

In another clip, Putin walks out of a meeting in Beijing with the naval officers again filmed just a few paces from Putin who grins as he walks down some stairs.

The President of the United States also has such a device. It is called the 'nuclear football'. The satchel contains the codes the US president can use to authorise nuclear missiles in case he is not at the White House.

Tensions between Russia and the US are on the rise in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Even China is seeking to bolster its nuclear arsenal. US-China relations are strained as well.

On Tuesday, the Russian parliament took first steps towards revoking ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). Its top lawmaker has even warned US that Russia may even abandon the pact altogether.

What is in the briefcase?

The "Cheget" is essentially a secure communication tool that enables Russian president a link to his military top brass and through them, to the rocket forces. via the highly secret "Kazbek" electronic command-and-control network.

Russia's defence minister has such a briefcase with him. Reuters said that Russian chief of general staff may also have been given a nuclear briefcase.

Footage shown by Russia's Zvezda television channel in 2019 showed what it said was one of the briefcases with an array of buttons.

According to Zvezda, there is a white 'launch' button and a red "cancel" button and the briefcase is activated by a special flashcard.

WION