For decades, the threat of nuclear conflict between the U.S. and the Soviet Union hung over humanity — and occasionally the superpowers edged toward the brink, as with the Cuban missile crisis.
But beginning in the 1970s, American and Soviet leaders started taking steps toward de-escalation, leading to a handful of critical treaties, including the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty that eliminated an entire class of nuclear-capable missiles.
The pact was terminated in 2019 after the U.S. withdrew. On Tuesday, Russia announced it was ending self-imposed restrictions on the deployment of the missiles covered in the agreement.
That leaves just one nuclear arms pact between Moscow and Washington still standing: New START, which experts say is on the ropes and set to expire in February in any case.
While the end of nuclear weapons agreements between the U.S. and Russia does not necessarily make nuclear war more likely, “it certainly doesn’t make it less likely,” said Alexander Bollfrass, an expert on nuclear arms control at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Fair. I could be wrong. I’d still be willing to bet at least 30% of their arsenal minimum is not functional or operational. I would guess their tactical nuke stockpile is probably in pretty bad shape, but you might be right about their strategic arsenal. Let’s also keep in mind that their ability to deliver was recently severely hampered by Ukraine’s drone strike on their bomber fleet, which took out like 30% of their planes, so that would definitely hurt their delivery capabilities.
That’s alot of guesses and assumptions. Would you like to bet your entire town on that?
I don’t think my bets either way will sway Russia unfortunately
No, but it’s good to be actually informed and be able to distinguish between valuable information and propaganda. Why are they selling you fake news, what narrative are they trying to support?
All available evidence suggests they take maintaining their nuclear stockpile very seriously, and they’re possibly actively expanding it.
https://www.businessinsider.com/satellite-photos-show-russias-upgrades-to-nuclear-bases-near-nato-2025-7
Besides, let’s take it even further, let’s say they only have 30% of their stockpile in working order, would you like to stand on the other side of that?
Oh no they can’t produce and they don’t maintain their stockpile and they only have OVER 1,000 nuclear warheads… they are a nuclear superpower.
Willing to bet at least 30% is not functional? Based on what?
Based on kleptocracratsy