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Putin attends funeral with 'nuclear football' raising fears of Ukraine war escalation

Putin's appearance at the funeral with the briefcase raised concerns as it comes weeks after he placed his country’s nuclear weapons on high alert

Russia President Vladimir Putin attended the funeral of far-right ally Vladimir Zhirinovsky on Friday with a mysterious suitcase that many suspect was the "nuclear football." The appearance of Putin at the funeral with the briefcase in tow raised concerns as it comes a few weeks after he placed his country’s nuclear weapons on high alert amidst the Ukraine invasion.

Putin appeared at the funeral in a Moscow cathedral dressed in a black suit and carrying a bouquet of flowers. He stood by the open casket's side and gave long time friend Zhirinovsky one last bow before departing. Throughout the duration of the visit, the case was kept by an official who stayed close to the Russian president.
 
The visible presence of a prominent military official carrying the launch apparatus for Kremlin's strategic missiles was interpreted by many as a scary indication that Putin may employ nuclear weapons in a catastrophic escalation of the Ukraine conflict. The photographs came seven weeks after the leader placed his nuclear weapons on alert after criticizing NATO for imposing 'aggressive' sanctions against Russia. The threat of nuclear war has lingered over the Ukraine crisis since Putin's war machine was crippled by valiant Ukrainian defenders, raising fears that the Russian despot will use nuclear weapons to break the standoff. Russia heightened tensions by launching an 'unstoppable' hypersonic missile last month, as footage showed the deadly 'Kinzhal' rocket landing on a Ukrainian munitions facility.

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The presence of Russian armed guards at the funeral also indicates that Putin is apprehensive about probable assassination attempts, given that practically all mourners were evacuated out of the Moscow church. The germophobe leader may also be attempting to avoid Covid following reports that he may be suffering from thyroid cancer.

The mysterious suitcase is assumed to hold the launch gear for the Kremlin's strategic missiles, and its appearance at the funeral is being regarded as a terrifying danger to the rest of the globe. The bag, which has a unique key code, is routinely monitored 24/7 and has complete control over Moscow's nuclear weapons. It is supposedly overseen by an armed security officer who travels with Putin wherever he goes.

According to local media, while the case is frequently seen in the hands of an assistant alongside Putin, there are actually three in total. Each is available to the Russian Federation's three highest-ranking authorities. According to observers, the most unique part of the briefcase is that the launch button is white rather than red, as is widely assumed.
 
In 2019, Zvezda, a TV channel run by Russia's Ministry of Defense, broadcast the working of the case in detail for the first time on television. The TV host stated that it was the first time such a device was allowed to be opened on-air while describing the inner workings of the nuclear suitcase.
 
TV presenter Alexei Yegorov explained: "One of the briefcase's components is a flashcard. It is individual, and it is one of the keys that is entered (into the system)." He added that they were barred from disclosing any further sensitive information regarding the functioning of the briefcase.