NUCLEAR WEAPONS have been Vladimir Putin's key ammunition to warn NATO counties off interfering with his illegal invasion of Ukraine since the very start. But NATO's arsenal is nearly as sizeable and, based on where they're stationed, could actually be seen as a more significant threat to Russia.Nuclear war threats haven’t stirred since the end of the Cold War, but as the Russia-Ukraine conflict transpires, fears that Russian President Vladimir Putin could use these weapons of mass destruction are ever-rising. Russia currently has the largest nuclear arsenal, however, these are stationed far away in Russia and its close surrounding countries. Whereas the US has many more stationed much closer to Russia’s turf
Putin has been wielding Russia’s nuclear weapons arsenal at countries who “interfere” with his invasion since its launch, warning of “consequences never encountered in your history”.
With the largest arsenal of all nine countries that possess them, Russia is currently reported to possess approximately 6,257 nuclear weapons.
These weapons are stationed largely in areas across Russia and one area reported to be in Kazakhstan.Only three NATO countries possess nuclear weapons; the US, the UK, and France.
In NATO’s Nuclear Deterrence policy, it states these countries will “protect other NATO allies under their ‘nuclear umbrellas’ in line with the NATO commitment that an attack on any one ally will be viewed as an attack on the entire alliance.”
With a combined mass treading close to Russia’s heels, these countries are reported to have approximately 5,550, 225, and 290, respectively.
However, amongst the UK and France’s nuclear weapon stations, it’s believed “About half of the roughly 200 US shorter-range weapons are believed to be deployed in five NATO countries in Europe.” according to A. Pomper and Vasilii Tuganov from the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies.The US has neither confirmed nor denied exact locations, but it’s predicted that the US’s B61-3 and -4 gravity bombs are stationed in the Volkel Airbase in the Netherlands, Kleine Brogel Air Base in Belgium and Buchel Airbase in Germany, as well as the Ghendi and Aviano bases in Italy and the Incirlik Airbase in Turkey.
The Ministry of Defence has refused to clarify whether any US nuclear warheads will be placed back in the UK, however, according to UK Government budget documents, RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk is due to be upgraded.
Some believe it might enable the US to store B61-12 nuclear bombs.
The B61-12 is an air-launched nuclear gravity bomb, said to be the latest variant of the B61 family, and much more powerful than any of the first-generation atomic bombs.