THE Pentagon is examining a CIA report that Russian nuclear missiles have switched to "combat mode" on several occasions because of deteriorating equipment. The report, leaked to the Washington Times, was drawn up following a warning last March by the Russian Minister for Defence, Mr Igor Rodionov, that lack of funding could lead to maintenance problems with Russia's nuclear weapons.
Mr Rodionov is visiting the US to discuss the ratification of the START II treaty with the US on the reduction of nuclear weapons, as well as NATO expansion.
The leaked CIA report said that malfunctions of Russian nuclear equipment caused missiles "on more than one occasion" to switch "spontaneously to combat mode". But this higher alert status "would not necessarily result in an unauthorised missile launch".
The Pentagon has declined to comment on the report but the State Department spokesman, Mr Nicholas Burns, said that the Russian Prime Minister, Mr Victor Chernomyrdin, had investigated Russian nuclear forces after the warning from Mr Rodionov and "is satisfied that Russia does have control of its nuclear forces".
He said this was also the view of the US. "We believe that nuclear weapons in Russia remain under the secure and centralised control of the Russian government."
The CIA report said the chances of an unauthorised missile launch by Russia were low "under normal circumstances". But it warned that "if that system and its safeguards continue to degrade because of lack of funding and maintenance, our concern could increase, especially if a crisis arose that splintered the armed forces".