Russian Nuclear Weapons: Past, Present, and Future

future reductions to a 1,000 warhead level might look
like, while Jacob Kipp analyzes the deep-seated strategic
challenges that Russia faces in its Asian-Pacific
Far East. Richard Weitz provides an in-depth analysis
of the vexing issue of tactical nuclear weapons (TNW)
that are already a source of friction between the two
sides and one that will figure prominently in any future
arms control negotiation.
In many cases, it will become clear that in the attempt
to answer the questions asked of them, the
authors of this book have produced a considerable
amount of overlap, i.e., more than one author addressing
the same point. However, what is equally as
clear is that there is no agreement among them. There
was a deliberate attempt to avoid a “pre-cooked”
consensus. Rather, each author’s individual view is
asserted in their chapters, underscoring the inherent
opacity of Russian programs and the different analytical
approaches of each writer. This outcome is hardly
surprising in view of the strategic importance, complexity,
many-sidedness, and ambiguity of Russia’s
approach to nuclear weapons. While the differences
among the writers may produce difficulties for readers
not necessarily versed in the intricacies of Russian
strategic thinking and policy, they reflect the true reality
of the material and the issues, which are inherently
difficult and contentious in the United States (as the
debate over the NEW Start treaty clearly illustrates).
The difficulty and complexity is inherent in the subject
matter, and we deliberately sought to avoid imposing
predetermined outcomes or conclusions in organizing
the conference and these papers. We hope that these
papers serve to illuminate some of the most important,
yet also intractable, defense policy issues facing the
United States (and other states as well, not just Russia)
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