Russian Nuclear Weapons: Past, Present, and Future

creation of new weapon systems and particularly new
methods of conducting contemporary warfare remain
without attention and critical analysis. High precision
weapons, arms based on new physical principles,
new methods of using space for the conduct of war…
have no legal or moral limits. It is difficult to talk
about international legal limitations for the new race
in super new weapons when the international law is
subjected to the revision by states (the U.S., Britain)
that should be guarantors of international stability…
Today, the U.S. and NATO have occupied such strategic
boundaries in Europe and the Central Asian region
that they could not even dream about before. Military
structures, created for purposes of the Cold War are
not only being preserved but are also expanding…
Indeed, today, there exists perhaps no clear threat for
Russia. But what will happen tomorrow when the balance
of forces changes dramatically? In case of need,
NATO may create any military scenario that suits its
interests… like in the Balkans.” 110
The prevailing Russian opinion is that the United
States seeks to establish its dominance in both offensive
and defensive strategic weapons. Current U.S.
championship of total nuclear abolition is also generally
suspect despite Moscow’s eagerness to pay lip
service to the abstract ideal of the non-nuclear world.
“Nuclear zero” proposals are often seen as a thinly
veiled attempt to disarm Russia by neutralizing its
nuclear potential. A widely held view among Russian
experts is that their country would not be able to compete
with the United States and other Western powers
and probably even China in advanced non-nuclear
systems, and may eventually become victim of pressures
and blackmail if left without nuclear weapons:
Today, nuclear weapons are a factor of deterrence.
However, take a closer look: the Americans are al-
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