Putin in China
Putin arriving in China with Russian officials seen in background. (Reuters file photo)
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin in Beijing, officers carry the nuclear briefcase for potential strike orders. (Reuters file photo)
Nuclear briefcase
A naval officer traditionally carries Russia's nuclear briefcase. (Reuters file photo)
Briefcase
Briefcase, known as the "Cheget" after Mount Cheget in the Caucasus Mountains. (Reuters file photo)
Military leaders
The briefcase serves as a secure communication tool connecting the president with his top military leaders. (Reuters file photo)
Command Section
In the "command" section, there are two buttons: white for launch and red for cancel, activated with a special flashcard (Zvezda). (Reuters file photo)
Kazbek
Briefcase links the president to the military through "Kazbek," a secret network connecting to "Kavkaz." (Reuters file photo)
US President
The US president also carries a similar device, referred to as the "nuclear football." (IANS file photo)
Joe Biden
The satchel contains codes for the US president to authenticate a nuclear missile launch order. (AFP file photo)