According to the Financial Times, Russia is prepared to utilize nuclear weapons early in a conflict with a major global power or if it suffers a loss of 20% of its submarines.

Classified Russian military documents obtained by journalists reveal that Moscow's criteria for using tactical nuclear weapons are much lower than publicly stated by Russian officials.

The report delves into 29 classified military files from 2008 to 2014, which detail scenarios of military exercises and presentations for Russian Navy officers discussing the principles of nuclear weapon deployment.

In one exercise scenario involving a potential invasion by China, Russia, referred to as the "Northern Federation," considers responding with a tactical nuclear strike to the second wave of a Chinese army offensive.

The documents outline additional criteria for potential nuclear weapon use, including enemy landings on Russian territory, defeats of border protection units, or imminent
enemy attacks using conventional weapons.

Thresholds for action may involve a combination of factors leading to irreversible losses for Russian forces, such as significant troop casualties or substantial damage to military assets.

Despite the age of these documents, experts suggest they remain pertinent to Russian military doctrine.