Voronezh began developing a special aircraft in case of a nuclear war

This was reported by RIA Novosti with reference to a source in the military-industrial complex.

The project is called Zveno-ZS.

“The Russian Aerospace Forces will receive two air command posts based on the Il-96-400M.

One is in production, ”the source said.

These Doomsday planes are intended to replace the existing Il-80, which were laid on the basis of the Il-86 passenger aircraft.

The flight range of the new Il-96-400M aircraft will be doubled compared to the previous version. 

Such vehicles are used to evacuate the country's top leadership and command and control troops in the event of the destruction of ground and satellite infrastructure.

In February, the head of US Strategic Command, Admiral Charles Richard, assessed the likelihood of a nuclear war with Russia or China.

He called the real risk that a regional crisis with Russia or China could quickly escalate into a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons, "if, in their opinion, in the event of defeat with the use of conventional weapons, there is a threat to the political system or the state."