Russia

Great headway has been made since the end of the Cold War in shrinking the Russian and US nuclear arsenals. But between them, the United States and Russia still have more than 14,000 nuclear weapons — over 93% of the world's stockpile. More than three thousand of them remain on high alert, meaning they can be launched in a matter of minutes.

Reducing these nuclear stockpiles help increase global stability, build the international non-proliferation regime and reduce the chances that nuclear materials will fall into the hands of terrorists. Instead, Russia and the United States are now on the brink of a new arms race to rebuild their nuclear arsenals.

Latest News and Analysis on Russia and Nuclear Weapons

  • Finding New Options on Iran

    Last week, Ploughshares Fund grantee, the Stimson Center released a new report by co-founder and distinguished fellow Barry Blechman examining tensions between the U.S. and Russia over Iran's nuclear program and laying out options for resolution of the crisis. It's a practical, nonpartisan look at one of the most high-stakes political arguments in the news today. Ploughshares Fund gets the inside scoop from Blechman in a short interview below. 

    March 22, 2012 - By admin

  • The Steady Decline of Global Nuclear Stockpiles

    Russia got rid of an estimated 1,000 nuclear warheads last year, according to a new report from Hans Kristensen and Robert Norris of the Federation of American Scientists, a Ploughshares Fund grantee. That brings the estimated number of nuclear warheads in the world down below 20,000 for the first time since 1959. Russia had already retired these warheads and slated them for dismantlement, so the strategic calculus has not changed. However, it is a strong data point showing the steep downward trend of global nuclear arsenals.

    March 14, 2012 - By Ben Loehrke

  • Our Oscar Pick: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

    It might not have received a nomination for Best Picture, but ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ is our stand out film this Oscar season.

    February 24, 2012 - By Megan Murphy

  • Day #6: 100% of Your Money Goes to our Programs

    From the very first moment that Ploughshares Fund was founded, we understood that people don’t want to fund paperclips, they want to fund peace. That’s why every dollar you donate goes directly to our grantmaking program, with nothing subtracted for administrative or overhead costs. That means your contribution funds a carefully selected set of grants to the smartest people with the best ideas for effective nuclear weapons policy, all with the shared goal of eliminating nuclear weapons.

    December 16, 2011 - By Megan Murphy

  • Breathing Life into U.S. Russia Reset

    A glance at recent headlines would lead one to conclude the US-Russian relationship has headed south --fast. But while Prime Minister Putin accuses Secretary Clinton of inciting protests, and President Medvedev threatens to restart the arms race, quiet diplomacy carries on between the two nations.

    December 15, 2011 - By admin

  • What if the “madman” is us?

    The following is the first in a series of guest posts from graduate students reflecting on the 25th anniversary of Rekyavik. 

    October marked the 25th anniversary of the Reykjavik summit—an unprecedented event that many nuclear disarmament advocates claim brought us close to an agreement between the Cold War superpowers on the drastic disarmament and eventual abolition of nuclear weapons. President Ronald Reagan’s refusal to scrap the U.S. strategic defense initiative (SDI), or “Star Wars,” is said to have been the nail in the coffin for such an agreement at Reykjavik.

    November 15, 2011 - By admin

  • Finding Cents in Common Sense

    The era of unlimited military spending is clearly over. With a huge focus on cutting the budget in all areas of federal spending, 64 Members of Congress are joining forces to highlight the nuclear weapons budget as a prime place for cuts.

    October 11, 2011 - By Anonymous

  • Putin’s Return to the Russian Presidency and U.S.-Russian Arms Control

    The following is a guest post by Steven Pifer. 

    In a speech to the United Russia party on Saturday, President Dmitri Medvedev announced his intention to step aside so that Prime Minister Vladimir Putin can return to the presidency next spring. The Russians still have an election to hold in March, but one can predict the outcome with assurance. While his ratings have declined since his first two terms as president, Putin remains the most popular politician in Russia. The state’s bureaucratic and financial resources will mobilize to support his candidacy, and no serious opposition candidate has emerged.

    September 29, 2011 - By admin

  • Missile Defense: Big Risk, Little Reward?

    September 26, 2011 - By Kelly Bronk

  • When Everybody Said It Couldn't Be Done...

    The 111th Congress was one of the most productive in decades. But the lame-duck session was truly remarkable. Just a few days before the end of the session, 71 Senators voted to provide the advice and consent necessary to ratify the New START treaty, reducing the nuclear arsenals of both the US and Russia by a third, and putting arms inspectors back on the ground to verify those reductions.

    August 24, 2011 - By admin