This Russian Force Stands Between Putin And A Nuclear Strike

Nuclear weapons experts describe working with the shadowy 12th Main Directorate forces, who protect and maintain Russia's nuclear arsenal.

Most of the world has never heard of the 12th Main Directorate, but they are the secretive forces that Vladimir Putin invokes every time he threatens to deploy nuclear weapons.  

They protect and maintain Russia's nuclear arsenal, keeping custody of a weapon until the moment it takes off. Newsy sat down with top nuclear weapons experts who knew them. 

Bill Moon is the former division chief of global nuclear security at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.