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Medvedev handed control of Russia's nuclear weapons
MOSCOW, May 7 (RIA Novosti) - Dmitry Medvedev, who was sworn in as Russian president and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces on Wednesday, has been given control of the country's
so-called "nuclear briefcase."
Vladimir Putin passed on the briefcase containing the codes to Russia's nuclear arsenal after the inauguration ceremony. The handover took place in the Kremlin in the presence of
the defense minister, Anatoly Serdyukov.
The briefcase looks similar to a laptop computer when opened. It is designed to receive and display early-warning information on enemy nuclear attacks.
It also allows the
president to transmit an order to launch missiles. To make such an order, the president must transmit the launch permission code to the commanding staff of the Strategic Missile Forces (SMF).
The permission code prompts
the SMF command to send out launch authorization codes, unblocking codes, and a war plan to missile sites and land- and sea-based mobile launchers.
The two other holders of Russia's nuclear 'switches' are the defense
minister and chief of the General Staff.
Medvedev also received other symbols of presidential authority, including the Presidential Standard and use of the presidential planes.
After the president has been sworn
into office, the Presidential Standard is placed in his office and a duplicate of the flag is flown on top of the presidential residence at the Moscow Kremlin.
Air transport for Medvedev will be provided by the Rossiya
State Transport Company, which operates an Il-96-300PU, an Il-62, a Tu-154 and a Yak-40 exclusively for the use of the president.
These planes are all equipped with the necessary security and communications systems and
are designed so that the president can work and rest in comfort during flights.
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