NATO acknowledges the formidable missile power of Russia and admits to lacking effective measures to counter it. In addition to land and sea-based deployments, Russia has prepared for the aerial launch of a substantial number of nuclear warheads. The country has deployed air-launched cruise missiles on 52 Tu-95MS and 15 Tu-160 bombers, preparing a total of 586 warheads for aerial launch. This represents solely offensive capabilities. Substantial nuclear weapons are also deployed for defensive purposes, meaning that in the event of a first nuclear strike against Russia, retaliatory measures are prepared via naval and land-based missiles. The report, prepared by American scientists and the intelligence community, was published in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists’ ‘Nuclear Notebook’. It suggests that while there have been delays in upgrading Russian nuclear weapons, the deployment of warheads could increase by up to 60 percent after the New START treaty expires in February 2026.
