8 terrifying facts about Russian nuclear arsenal
Albert Einstein once said: «I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones». Looking at the current world situation, one can’t help believing it more and more. Here are some facts about Russian nuclear arsenal, proving that nuclear war is certainly not something humanity wants.
Russia owns the biggest number of nuclear warheads in the world
At the moment, according to international estimates based on START-III data exchange reports, Russia has 508 deployed strategic delivery vehicles. They carry 1796 nuclear charges in total. The closest competitor — the USA — has, 1367 charges on 681 vehicles. At this point, we have to clarify that according to the same START-III treaty, every deployed strategic bomber counts as one warhead. It’s not counted, however, exactly how much nuclear bombs and rockets it carries.
There are much more nuclear blocs in reality
The current number of active deployed nuclear warheads is regulated by the START-III, according to which every country can have only 1500 of them. Both the USA and Russia are close to this number. Nevertheless, in addition to nuclear blocs on combat duty, there are standby, non-deployed warheads, including those on long-term storage. The treaty dictates that they must be destroyed, only no one is too eager to do so. According to various estimates, Russia may have around 6800 of these «canned» warheads, the USA — around 7600 units.
Compared with USSR’ armament, these are still crumbs
1500 warheads may seem as a large number. It is so indeed. But the fact is, the USSR had much more. Twice as much, actually. The largest number the USSR achieved in 1975 was 46 000 units at their disposal. In comparison, the USA had no more than 31 000 units in 1967.
Weapons of RVSN are the most advanced in the world
The bulk of the RVSN forces still includes rockets of the Soviet model of «Satan» and «Sickle» along with its latest version «Sickle B», deployed in 1997. However, there are more than 70 RS-24 Yars units, manufactured in 2009, currently on combat duty. Meanwhile, the only American ICBM currently in service is the LGM-30G Minuteman-3, the last of which was manufactured in 1978. This would make the «youngest» of their rockets 38 years old.
Russian nuclear missiles can be launched from any place whatsoever
Modern technologies allowed to increase the maximum flying range of intercontinental nuclear missiles. For example, the latest heavy liquid-fuel ICBM RS-28 Sarmat. This missile is supposed to take the place of the old R-36M «Satan». The new one will fly not in a circular orbit, but on a sub-orbital trajectory. With its enhanced flying range, this means that the missile can be launched from any point on the planet, even the South Pole.
«Satan» can cover the whole USA in just one launch
The missile system R-36M2 «Satan» can carry 10 separate warheads, each having the power of up to 750 kilotons. Its whole weight is as much as, 8800 kilos. This figure is massive. What’s more interesting, though, is that the range of its warhead-deployment is 3 000 kilometers. It means, provided that each warhead hits the target, almost all the USA will be covered. And it’s just one missile. There are 46 active missile systems.
Less than 1% of the world’s nuclear arsenal will bring nuclear winter on the whole planet
Experts estimated that as little as 50 nuclear charges are needed from each side to cause unprecedented climate change similar to the Little Ice Age. Today, the power of 50 charges, which is similar to the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, is just 0.3% of the world’s nuclear arsenal. And there is no doubt that, should the nuclear war begin, the number will be much bigger.
Military doctrine of Russia allows nuclear weapons
According to the new edition of the document, Russia reserves the right to use nuclear weapons not only as retaliation against the same act of foreign aggression. Nuclear missiles can also be launched in case of threat to Russia or its allies with different kinds of weapons of mass destruction. The same applies for offensive against Russia with conventional weapons, but only in case if the state itself is endangered.