Item BRINK OF APOCALYPSE 2/5 - Interview with Adm Vladen Smirnoff, USSR Northern Fleet, Deputy Chief, [2007]

Typescript transcript of interview with Adm Vladen Smirnoff, USSR Northern Fleet, Deputy Chief. Subjects include his rank in 1983 and naval intelligence; tensions between East and West during this period; the election of Ronald Reagan in 1981 and his “militant rhetoric” during the election campaign of 1979-80; Reagan’s appointment of Caspar Weinberger and John Lehman within the defence and naval departments; tactical and strategic nuclear weapons; Ronald Reagan’s “Evil Empire” speech, 1981; America’s 47 nuclear exercises in 1983; Strategic Defence Initiative; the shooting down of Korean Airlines flight KAL 007, 1 Sep 1983; Able Archer; USSR strengthening of intelligence operations; NATO forces at the Russian borders; American submarines; American and USSR violation of territorial waters; violation of USSR airspace; provocation by the Americans; Pacific fleet exercise 1983; USS Harlan County’s unexpected arrival in the Barent sea; the activity of American, French and British ships within the Barent Sea; US interest in USSR’s new submarines; psychology of nuclear war; the concept of a ‘Nuclear Winter’; Able Archer and why 1983’s exercise stood out above all others; psychological and moral difficulties of a starting a nuclear war; American targets during Able Archer. Original interview conducted in Russian, transcript in English. 52pp