2. Russia
Russia is the largest holder of nuclear weapons after the U.S. totaling 6,375. The Soviet Union developed and tested its nuclear weapons after the United States in 1949. The Soviet Union tested its first Megatron-range hydrogen bomb in 1955. They tested the “Tsar Bomba” which is the most powerful explosive ever detonated by humans.
The Russian Federation acquired possession of the Soviet Union’s nuclear arsenal after its dissolution on December 26, 1991. Russia has approximately 4,315 nuclear warheads which include 1,570 deployed strategic warheads with 870 in storage. This also includes 1,875 non-strategic warheads and also 2,060 retired warheads to be dismantled.
Russia and the United States’ unfriendly and antagonistic relationship has slowed down the reduction of nuclear weapons in the two countries. The arms race between these two nations has seen both countries continuing the development of other types of nuclear weapons.
Russia’s position is that it will embark on reduction only if guaranteed that the U.S is doing the same, which in the current climate seems unlikely.
