Russian Nuclear Weapons: Past, Present, and Future - Strategic ...

that they could theoretically affect the credibility of
strategic deterrence that is regarded as the foundation
of the existing international system.
RUSSIAN VIEWS ON THE ROLE OF NUCLEAR
WEAPONS
Nuclear weapons have three partially overlapping
roles in Russian national security policy, which can be
described as status symbol, existential deterrence, and
plans for use of nuclear weapons under certain specific
contingencies, first and foremost to deter largescale
use of conventional forces against Russia by the
United States and NATO.
1. The role of nuclear weapons as a symbol of status
is quite straightforward, although rather difficult
to define in clear-cut, unambiguous terms. Status as a
recognized nuclear weapons state, along with a permanent
seat on the United Nations Security Council
(UNSC), coupled with the right of veto, are the most
visible and perhaps the only remaining vestiges of
great-power ambitions. Partially, this self-image satisfies
the nostalgia—particularly widely spread among
the public—for the Soviet Union’s number two place
in the Cold War international system.
More importantly, nuclear status fits very well
with the forward-looking conceptualization of the
emerging post-post-Cold War (to borrow Colin Powell’s
term) international system as multipolar, in which
Russia sees itself as one of the centers of power and
influence. It should be noted, however, that the term
(multipolarity) is seriously misused in Russia. 3 In fact,
Russian leaders, when they talk about multipolarity,
appear to mean a “concert”—a system similar to the
1815 Vienna Congress arrangements. They see the
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