[Goose]

I recall reading that POTUS has 100% authority, which is interesting in a democracy, but I get it, the president needs that authority to act quickly. 

Separately, I also recall reading that Putin doesn't have that 100% authority, that Russian nuclear policy mandates that Putin actually has to jump through some hoops before using nuclear weapons, specifically in consulting with Russian military officers and multiple approvals by fellow higher-ups. Is that true, to your knowledge?

It is true, and at least some of the officers involved take it very seriously, or at least in the past did so. It was always assumed that while they would normally urge caution (military officers at that level are nearly always cautious) that in the end they would defer to the political authorities. There have been many interesting discussions about what would happen in the event use of tactical nuclear weapons were ordered. That requires lower level people who actually have other jobs to do it. Will the majors and captains who are not part of the strategic forces arrange for it not to work? The RVSN RF is more like SAC was back "in the day". They will execute the launch orders without even flinching. It is part of the drill and they don't need to think.

Equally there have been many discussions about what US submarine captains would actually do if they received a launch order. It needs to be remembered that these people are chosen only after evaluating at great length their willingness to do exactly that without hesitation. It is also imperative that our potential opponents (e.g. Russia and China) have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that they will indeed launch if ordered. It would be a real shame if somebody convinced  them we wouldn't and a nuclear war started based on a misreading of our resolve. Some of the people I know well who have had lots of contact with these officers say that "I believe he would launch, but nobody really knows". The same is true of the Russians.

[Goose]

I recall reading that POTUS has 100% authority, which is interesting in a democracy, but I get it, the president needs that authority to act quickly. 

Separately, I also recall reading that Putin doesn't have that 100% authority, that Russian nuclear policy mandates that Putin actually has to jump through some hoops before using nuclear weapons, specifically in consulting with Russian military officers and multiple approvals by fellow higher-ups. Is that true, to your knowledge?

It is true, and at least some of the officers involved take it very seriously, or at least in the past did so. It was always assumed that while they would normally urge caution (military officers at that level are nearly always cautious) that in the end they would defer to the political authorities. There have been many interesting discussions about what would happen in the event use of tactical nuclear weapons were ordered. That requires lower level people who actually have other jobs to do it. Will the majors and captains who are not part of the strategic forces arrange for it not to work? The RVSN RF is more like SAC was back "in the day". They will execute the launch orders without even flinching. It is part of the drill and they don't need to think.

Equally there have been many discussions about what US submarine captains would actually do if they received a launch order. It needs to be remembered that these people are chosen only after evaluating at great length their willingness to do exactly that without hesitation. It is also imperative that our potential opponents (e.g. Russia and China) have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that they will indeed launch if ordered. It would be a real shame if somebody convinced  them we wouldn't and a nuclear war started based on a misreading of our resolve. Some of the people I know well who have had lots of contact with these officers say that "I believe he would launch, but nobody really knows". The same is true of the Russians.