Russia Prepares For Nuclear War

                         Jane's Defence Weekly


                          December  16, 1995


                       (Vol. 24; No. 25; Pg. 5)


             Russia 'is still preparing for war with USA'


                           By Barbara Starr


Preparation  for  nuclear  war  with  the USA appears to remain a high


Russian priority, according to statements by US intelligence community


officials recently made public.





One sign is a new Russian  underground  command  and  control  centre,


known as Kosvinskiy Mountain, that has been built in the Urals.  It is


"one  of  the  main  new  elements" of the Russian underground nuclear


command and control architecture that has  emerged  since  the  Soviet


Union dissolved, US Navy Adm William Studeman, then Acting Director of


Central Intelligence, told the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier


this year.





The  statements  were  in  reply  to  SASC  questions following public


hearings in January.  The answers and parts of the  classified  closed


hearing that followed the public session, were released recently.





"While  some  of  this  construction appears to be the continuation of


programmes started long before the break-up,  it still appears  to  be


high-priority  to  correct  perceived vulnerabilities in their nuclear


command and control system," said Adm Studeman.


"Preparedness for nuclear  conflict  with  the  United  States  -  not


withstanding  the  end of the Cold War - remains a resource allocation


priority."


Lt Gen James Clapper,  who was Director of  the  Defense  Intelligence


Agency  during  the  hearing,  told  the committee the bunker facility


"will be a new  part  of  Russia's  multi-billion  dollar  effort"  to


modernize its nuclear infrastructure.



The Russians appear to be seeking to improve their ability to absorb a


nuclear strike, reducing their incentives for early nuclear use.