In the event of a full-scale Russian nuclear strike against the United States, Russian doctrine suggests a phased targeting approach designed to neutralize U.S. military power, cripple command and control, and inflict maximum damage on the nation’s population and economy.
Primary Targets: Counterforce and Leadership
The first wave would focus on primary targets—the backbone of U.S. nuclear and command capabilities. These include the Minuteman III missile fields in Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming; strategic bomber bases; ballistic missile submarine bases; and the highest levels of national command authority such as Washington, D.C., the Pentagon, and hardened command-and-control bunkers.
The goal of this counterforce strike would be to disable America’s ability to launch a nuclear response. Many of these facilities, such as hardened silos and bunkers, would require multiple warheads to ensure destruction, while sprawling complexes like submarine bases or bomber airfields would also be struck at several points.
Secondary Targets: Major Military and Infrastructure
After the initial wave, Russia would turn to secondary targets—major U.S. military facilities and critical infrastructure that supports conventional power projection. These include naval bases hosting carrier strike groups, large Army and Air Force installations, missile defense interceptors, early-warning radars, space and cyber nodes, nuclear weapon storage or production facilities, and major communications hubs.
By targeting these sites, Russia would aim to cripple the U.S. military’s ability to regroup, defend, or retaliate effectively. Some of these installations are hardened and would require repeated strikes, while others are softer targets such as industrial plants or airfields.
Tertiary Targets: Cities and Economic Nodes
Finally, in a general war scenario, Russia would likely escalate to tertiary targets—a countervalue strike designed to maximize civilian casualties and economic devastation. All major U.S. metropolitan areas would be on this list, particularly those with significant industry, finance, or population density. The largest cities—such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and San Francisco—would likely be hit with multiple warheads each to guarantee widespread destruction.
Beyond cities, Russia would also seek to cripple the U.S. economy and recovery efforts by striking power generation and distribution sites, large hydroelectric dams, refineries, ports, and transportation chokepoints. Even seemingly obscure sites can have strategic significance if their destruction disrupts regional or national infrastructure.
About the Target List
The comprehensive datasheet accompanying this article identifies representative primary, secondary, and tertiary targets across the contiguous United States, Alaska, and Hawaii. Locations are broken down by category and geography, ranging from nuclear missile fields and command facilities to naval bases, refineries, and major cities.
