GOING NUCLEAR
Chilling moment Putin is pictured with ‘Russia’s secret nuclear briefcase’ at funeral – amid fears of World War 3
PARANOID Vladimir Putin was seen attending a Moscow funeral today surrounded by military guards carrying Russia's 'secret nuclear briefcase'.
The Russian president arrived at Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow, to pay his respects to firebrand ultra-nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky.
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Putin, dressed in black, made the sign of the cross in front of Zhirinovsky's open casket as the political leader and his close ally was laid to rest.
He is believed to have fallen ill with Covid before being hospitalised - despite boasting eight Covid jabs.
The visible presence of a top military officer carrying the launch apparatus for the Kremlin’s strategic missiles is thought to be a chilling sign that warmongering Putin could deploy devastating nuclear weapons.
The images come seven weeks after the leader put his nuke weapons on alert after lashing out at the NATO alliance over what he claimed were 'aggressive' sanctions.
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The spectre of nuclear war has loomed over the Ukraine conflict after Putin's war machine was crippled by heroic Ukrainian defenders - sparking fears the Russian tyrant could use nukes to break the deadlock.
Russia added to tensions by unleashing an 'unstoppable' hypersonic missile as footage showed the deadly 'Kinzhal' rocket being dropped on a Ukrainian weapons warehouse last month.
The presence of Russian armed guards could also hint that the President is deeply concerned about possible assassination attempts as nearly all mourners were cleared out of the Moscow church.
The germophobe leader could also be looking to dodge Covid after speculation that he could be suffering from thyroid cancer.
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In contrast, when ex-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev also paid his respects, many other mourners were present and allowed to crowd out the church.
Zhirinovsky died 15 weeks after predicting long in advance the date of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
'NUKE SUITCASE'
The secret case is thought to contain the launch apparatus for the Kremlin's strategic missiles and its presence at the funeral is seen as a chilling threat to the world.
The bag, which has a personalised key code, is normally under 24/7 supervision and completely controls Moscow's nuclear arsenal.
It is reportedly supervised by an armed security officer who accompanies no-nonsense Putin wherever he travels.
The briefcase, called Cheget in Russian, was developed in the early 1980s and was shown to the world for first time in 2019, with its contents being viewed up close on TV.
According to local media, although the case is often seen in the hands of an aide alongside Putin, there are actually not just one but three in total.
Each is accessible by the three most highly-ranked officials in the Russian Federation.
Observers say the most unusual aspect of the briefcase is that the launch button is actually white and not red as is commonly thought.
The case was presented on television in a detailed manner for the first time by Zvezda, a TV channel run by Russia's Ministry of Defence, in 2019.
Describing the inner workings of the nuclear briefcase, the TV presenter commented that it was the first time such a device was permitted to be opened on television.
TV presenter Alexei Yegorov explained: "One of the briefcase's components is a flash card. It is individual, and it is one of the keys that is entered (into the system)."
He added that they were not allowed to disclose other sensitive information related to the briefcase's functions.
It comes as Russia launched a deadly attack on a Ukraine train station, killing at least 35 and injuring hundreds of innocent civilians sheltering there.
Horror pictures show bodies strewn across the ground beside abandoned luggage at Kramatorsk railway station in eastern Ukraine amid reports the site has been blasted by Russian troops.
The state railway company said two Russian rockets struck the station, which was being used to evacuate civilians from areas under bombardment by Vladimir Putin's forces.
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About 4,000 people, most of them elderly, women and children, were at the railway station when it was struck, Mayor Oleksander Honcharenko said.
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But Russia's defence ministry has said its troops did not have any targets assigned in Kramatorsk on Friday.
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