Dead Hand: Russia’s Doomsday Deterrent Explained

Developed by the Soviet Union in the early 1980s, the Perimeter “Dead Hand” system is an automated nuclear-retaliation mechanism designed to guarantee a Russian counterattack if leadership is incapacitated or communications fail. Using seismic, radiation, pressure, and communication sensors, it can trigger a launch sequence of intercontinental missiles via a command rocket even without human intervention. While intended as a Cold War-era fail-deadly deterrent, Russian officials have hinted that the system remains operational today.