Russian Federation
Russia boycotted the TPNW negotiations and has not adhered to the Treaty. It is a nuclear-armed state and not in compliance with all of the prohibitions in Article 1. Russia may sign and ratify the TPNW, but will have to make changes to its policies and practices to become compliant.
Latest developments and background
Russia is opposed the TPNW. In a 2017 statement to the UNGA First Committee, the Russian government said it "cannot assess this Treaty the TPNW positively." (bit.ly/2kwgHrg)
Recommendations
- Russia should acknowledge that nuclear deterrence is not a sustainable solution for its own or international security, and that any perceived benefits are far outweighed by the risk of nuclear accidents or war. It should move rapidly to verifiably reduce and eliminate its nuclear arsenal.
- Russia should urgently sign and ratify the TPNW, and encourage other states to adhere to the Treaty. Until it is in a position to do so, it should - in line with its unequivocal undertaking under the NPT to accomplish the total elimination of its nuclear arsenals - welcome the TPNW as a valuable contribution towards the common aspiration of a world without nuclear weapons, attend its meetings of states parties as an observer, and work with its states parties on practical steps towards disarmament.
| Signed |
|---|
| No |
| Adhered |
|---|
| No |
| Compliance with article 1(1) of the TPNW | ||
|---|---|---|
| Art 1(1)(a) | The prohibition on developing, producing, manufacturing, or otherwise acquiring | Not compliant |
| The prohibition on testing | Compliant | |
| The prohibition on possessing or stockpiling | Not compliant | |
| Art 1(1)(b) | The prohibition on transferring | Compliant |
| Art 1(1)(c) | The prohibition on receiving transfer or control | Compliant |
| Art 1(1)(d) | The prohibition on using | Compliant |
| The prohibition on threatening to use | Compliant | |
| Art 1(1)(e) | The prohibition on assisting prohibited activities | Compliant |
| The prohibition on encouraging or inducing prohibited activities | Compliant | |
| Art 1(1)(f) | The prohibition on encouraging or inducing prohibited activities | Not compliant |
| Art 1(1)(g) | The prohibition on allowing stationing, installation, or deployment | Compliant |
| TPNW process | |
|---|---|
| Vote on mandate resolution (A/RES/71/258) | Voted no |
| Participated in treaty negotiations (% women) | No (N/A) |
| Vote on adoption of treaty text | N/A |
| Vote on UNGA resolution 2018 | Voted no |
| Fissile material | |
|---|---|
| Highly enriched uranium stocks | 679 t (~45,267 weapon equivalents) |
| Civilian plutonium stocks | |
| Fissile material production | Yes (LEU and Pu) |
| Related treaties and mechanisms | |
|---|---|
| Party to the NPT | Yes |
| Party to a NWFZ | No |
| Ratified the CTBT | Yes (Annex 2 state) |
| Party to the PTBT | Yes |
| Member of the CD | Yes |
| IAEA CSA in force | No (Voluntary offer agreement) |
| IAEA AP in force | Yes (Modified) |
| Party to the CWC | Yes |
| Party to the BWC | Yes |
DOCTRINE, POLICIES, AND PRACTICE
Measured by the sheer number of nuclear warheads in its possession, Russia retains the world’s largest nuclear arsenal. According to the current Russian doctrine, Russia reserves "the right to use nuclear weapons in response to the use of nuclear and other types of weapons of mass destruction against it and/or its allies, as well as in the event of aggression against the Russian Federation with the use of conventional weapons when the very existence of the state is in jeopardy".[1] Russia possesses a larger arsenal of "tactical" or "non-strategic" nuclear weapons than other nuclear-armed states, suggesting that Russia retains a comparatively greater role for the battlefield use of nuclear weapons (as opposed to "strategic" use against cities or nuclear assets) than other nuclear-armed states.
The Russian Federation has ratified the protocols containing negative security assurances for members of the Latin American and Caribbean, South Pacific, African, and Central Asian NWFZs. Russia has thereby committed not to use nuclear weapons against members of these zones. Russia/the Soviet Union has offered a number of non-binding security assurances over the years, but Russia does not have a no-first-use policy.
Russian officials often assert that Russia is committed to the creation of a world without nuclear weapons. In practice, however, Russia has snubbed offers of multilateral arms control negotiations, including proposals to reduce tactical nuclear weapons, and sought to discredit diplomatic efforts such as the humanitarian initiative for nuclear disarmament. At the same time, Russia has reportedly approached the United States to discuss the extension of the New START agreement, but has apparently not found a willing interlocutor.
[1] Russian Embassy to the United Kingdom, "The Military Doctrine of the Russian Federation" (2014).
* Hans M. Kristensen and Robert S. Norris, "Status of World Nuclear Forces", Federation of American Scientists.
** Arms Control Association, "The Nuclear Testing Tally" (updated September 2017).
*** Hans M. Kristensen and Matt Korda, "Russian nuclear forces, 2019", Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 75, no. 2 (2019). See also Shannon N. Kile and Hans M. Kristensen , "World Nuclear Forces", SIPRI Yearbook 2018, Chapter 6.