CTR Assistance - What It Does: Russia

Russia inherited the vast majority of the weapons of mass destruction and weapons production, research and development capability of the former Soviet Union. It will remain a nuclear weapons state as the successor of the Soviet Union. Through CTR assistance the United States is helping Russia to accelerate strategic arms reduction efforts to meet START elimination levels earlier than Russia could achieve unassisted. CTR assistance is also helping to intiate the Russian chemical weapons demilitarization efforts. Over $503 million has been committed to Russia.

In Russia, CTR:

• Has helped to upgrade the security and safety of nuclear weapons transport railcars;
• Is improving safeguards for fissile material;
• Is assisting with the design and construction of a secure, central storage facility for fissile material from dismantled nuclear weapons;
• Provides assistance to eliminate Russian ICBMs, SLBMs and strategic bombers;
• Is assisting with planning for destruction of chemical weapons and evaluating possible destruction technology; and
• Supports conversion of weapons of mass destruction industry to civilian production.