Russia flaunts doomsday weapons to curb Western support for Ukraine

This yr has seen President Vladimir Putin repeatedly brandish the nuclear sword, reminding everybody that Russia has the world’s largest atomic arsenal to attempt to deter the West from ramping up help for Ukraine.

He ordered his navy to carry drills involving battlefield nuclear weapons with ally Belarus.

He introduced Russia will begin producing ground-based intermediate vary missiles that have been outlawed by a now-defunct U.S.-Soviet treaty in 1987.

And final month, he lowered the brink for unleashing his arsenal by revising the nation’s nuclear doctrine.

Putin is counting on these hundreds of warheads and tons of of missiles as an unlimited doomsday machine to offset NATO’s large edge in standard weapons to discourage what he sees as threats to Russia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

A have a look at Russia’s atomic arsenal and the problems surrounding it:

Russia’s strategic weapons

The Federation of American Scientists estimated this yr that Russia has a listing totaling 5,580 deployed and nondeployed nuclear warheads, whereas the U.S. has 5,044. Collectively, that’s about 88% of the world’s nuclear weapons.

Most of those are strategic, or intercontinental-range weapons. Just like the U.S., Russia has a nuclear triad of ground-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, long-range bombers and ICBM-armed submarines.

Since Putin got here to energy in 2000, the Kremlin has labored to improve the Soviet-built parts of the triad, deploying tons of of recent land-based missiles, commissioning new nuclear submarines and modernizing nuclear-capable bombers. Russia’s effort to revamp its nuclear forces has helped immediate the U.S. to launch a pricey modernization of its arsenal.

Russia has reequipped its land-based strategic missile forces with cell Yars ICBMs and not too long ago started deploying the heavy, silo-based Sarmat ICBMs — designated “Devil II” missiles within the West — to step by step change about 40 Soviet-built R-36M missiles. Sarmat has had just one identified profitable check, and reportedly suffered an enormous explosion throughout an abortive check final month.

The navy commissioned seven new Borei-class atomic-powered submarines, every with 16 Bulava nuclear-tipped missiles, and plans to construct 5 extra. They’re supposed to type the core of the triad’s naval part alongside a couple of Soviet-era nuclear subs nonetheless working.

Russia nonetheless depends on Soviet-built Tu-95 and Tu-160 strategic bombers carrying nuclear-tipped cruise missiles. Moscow has restarted manufacturing of the supersonic Tu-160 that was halted after the 1991 Soviet collapse, aiming to construct a number of dozen modernized plane with new engines and avionics.

Russia’s nonstrategic nuclear weapons

The U.S. estimates that Russia has between 1,000 and a pair of,000 nonstrategic, or tactical, nuclear weapons supposed to be used on the battlefield that usually are far much less highly effective than the strategic warheads able to destroying complete cities.

Russia has high-precision ground-launched Iskander missiles with a variety of as much as 310 miles, which could be fitted with both a traditional or a nuclear warhead.

The air pressure has a fleet of MiG-31 fighter jets that carry a hypersonic Kinzhal missile, which could be outfitted with a nuclear or standard warhead. Russia has extensively used standard variations of each Iskander and Kinzhal in opposition to Ukraine.

As a part of the Kremlin’s nuclear messaging, Russia and ally Belarus held drills to coach their troops with the battlefield nuclear weapons in Could, shortly after Putin started his fifth time period.

MAD and Russia’s nuclear doctrine

Moscow and Washington have relied for many years on nuclear deterrence beneath the idea of mutually assured destruction — MAD for brief — based mostly on the belief that an amazing retaliation would discourage both facet from launching an assault.

Russia’s nuclear doctrine adopted in 2020 envisaged utilizing such final weapons in response to a nuclear strike or an assault with standard weapons that threatens “the very existence of the Russian state.” Moscow hawks criticized that doc as too imprecise, urging Putin to toughen it.

Final month, he warned the U.S. and NATO allies that permitting Ukraine to make use of Western-supplied longer-range weapons for strikes deep inside Russia would put NATO at battle along with his nation.

He strengthened the message by asserting a brand new model of the nuclear doctrine that considers a traditional assault on Russia by a nonnuclear nation that’s supported by a nuclear energy to be a joint assault on his nation — a transparent warning to the U.S. and different allies of Kyiv.

Putin additionally declared the revised doc envisages potential nuclear weapons use in case of an enormous air assault, holding the door open to a possible nuclear response to any aerial assault — an ambiguity supposed to discourage the West.

Modifications within the doctrine recommend Russia “is doubling down on its technique of counting on nuclear weapons for coercive functions” within the battle in Ukraine, mentioned Heather Williams, director of the Venture on Nuclear Points on the Middle for Strategic and Worldwide Research, in a commentary.

The long run for arms management

The 2010 New START U.S.-Russian arms discount treaty, the final remaining arms management pact between Moscow and Washington that expires in 2026, limits every nation to not more than 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles and bombers.

In February 2023, Putin suspended Russia’s participation in New START, however vowed that Russia would abide by its limits.

In July, Putin declared Russia will launch manufacturing of ground-based intermediate vary missiles that have been banned beneath the now-defunct U.S. Soviet INF Treaty. The 1987 pact banned missiles with a variety of 310 to three,410 miles. He mentioned Moscow will reply in form to the deliberate deployment of U.S. intermediate-range missiles to Germany, taking steps to “mirror” Washington’s transfer.

At the same time as U.S.-Russian tensions soared to their highest level for the reason that Chilly Struggle amid preventing in Ukraine, Washington has urged Moscow to renew dialogue on nuclear arms management. Putin rejected the provide, saying such negotiations are meaningless whereas the U.S. is brazenly searching for to inflict a strategic defeat to Russia in Ukraine.

Resuming nuclear testing

Russian hawks are calling for a resumption of nuclear exams to show Moscow’s readiness to make use of its atomic arsenal and pressure the West to restrict support for Kyiv.

Putin mentioned Russia may resume testing if the U.S. does so first, a transfer that will finish a world ban in place after the demise of the united states.

Final month, Deputy Overseas Minister Sergei Ryabkov mentioned the nuclear check vary on the Arctic archipelago of Novaya Zemlya is able to resume exams if the U.S. does so.

Potential new weapons

In 2018, Putin revealed an array of recent weapons, claiming they’d render any potential U.S. missile defenses ineffective.

They embrace the Avangard hypersonic glide car, able to flying 27 instances quicker than the pace of sound and making sharp maneuvers to dodge an enemy’s missile defend. The primary such items have already entered service.

Putin additionally talked about the nuclear-armed and atomic-powered Poseidon underwater drone, designed to blow up close to coastlines and trigger a radioactive tsunami. Earlier this yr, he mentioned Poseidon exams are nearing completion, with out giving particulars.

Additionally beneath growth is an atomic-powered cruise missile, an idea that dates to the Chilly Struggle. However the missile, referred to as the Burevestnik, or Petrel, has raised skepticism amongst consultants, who cite technological obstacles and radiation security considerations. Throughout exams in 2019, an explosion at a naval vary on the White Sea reportedly involving the Burevestnik killed 5 engineers and two servicemen, and triggered a quick spike in radiation.

Putin mentioned this yr its growth was within the ultimate levels and the navy has reportedly constructed a base for the missiles within the Vologda area of northwestern Russia.

The Related Press receives help for nuclear safety protection from the Carnegie Company of New York and Outrider Basis. The AP is solely answerable for all content material.