Russia's non-strategic nuclear forces

Abstract

This article provides a brief overview of current debates in Russia on nuclear weapons before examining several factors that suggest that Moscow's interest in arms control arrangements affecting its NSNF is likely to be limited. Indeed, while Moscow has maintained its demands since the 1950s that all US nuclear forces in Europe be removed, its willingness to retain existing arms control limits such as the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty and less formal obligations such as the 1991-2 unilaterial commitments on NSNF may be in decline. Moreover, Russia's implementation of the latter commitments remains unclear. The prospects for Moscow's endorsing new negotiated constraints on Russian NSNF therefore appears doubtful.