“Russia is also modernizing and expanding its nuclear arsenalAustin said at a ceremony at the US Strategic Command, which oversees the US nuclear arsenal, that Austin’s remarks are consistent with the policy document the Pentagon recently released on nuclear weapons.
The paper indicates that Russia has the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons in the world, with about 6,000 warheads, according to experts. Russia and the United States together have about 90% of the world’s nuclear warheads, which is enough to destroy the planet several times over.
Russia said it would pay special attention in 2023 to building up the infrastructure for its nuclear forces. Earlier in the day, Putin vowed at a press conference that any country that dares attack Russia with nuclear weapons will be wiped off the face of the earth.
According to Putin, Russia does not have the authority to launch a preemptive nuclear first strike, but Russia’s advanced hypersonic weapons ensure that Russia can respond forcefully if attacked.
On September 21, Putin warned the West not to cheat when he said he was ready to use nuclear weapons to defend Russia. On Sept. 30, he said the United States had set a precedent by dropping two atomic bombs on Japan in 1945, the paper states.
Russia and the United States were supposed to hold talks in recent weeks on the current START treaty, which limits the number of warheads each side can deploy. But Moscow backed down on the eve of the meeting, accusing the United States of toxic anti-Russian behavior and trying to manipulate the treaty in its favour.
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