How many nuclear weapons does Russia have and what is Satan-2 deemed “invulnerable”?

Its real military name is the RS-28 РС-28 Сармат SS-X-30. But he is nicknamed Satan-2. Because it is deemed capable, thanks to a range of some 18,000 kilometres, “to bring hell to any part of the earth”. It’s a ballistic missile intercontinental developed for more than 10 years by Russia. One missile which can carry up to 10 tons of payload. Understand, multiple nuclear warheads. And it is presented as “invulnerable”. Because it can be launched at a speed supersonic. To reach its target in just a few minutes. Because its long range allows it to take “shortcuts” by the poles to avoid the best defended areas before hitting his target.

After the positive results obtained during the missile ejection tests a few months ago, the Russian government announced that it was ready to carry out flight tests in the third quarter of 2021. The weapon of more than 200 tons should therefore not not yet be ready for combat service for at least a few months. From there, on the other hand, could come the images that are currently circulating a lot on the social networks of the death machine on Russian roads. While Vladimir Putin appeared on the screens yesterday to announce the alerting of the “deterrent force” of the Russian army. Understand that the Russian army will carry out operations which will now allow it to be quickly able to resort to the use ofnuclear weapon.

Because even if the formidable Satan-2 does not yet seem to be in a state of harm, Vladimir Putin also wanted to recall that “Russia remains one of the most powerful nuclear weapons countries in the world”. And that’s true. According to figures from the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (Ican), Russia is today at the head of an arsenal of more than 6,000 nuclear weapons – which can be launched by missiles, from surface ships or submarines or dropped by planes. This is more than the United States which would be at 5,600. Much more than France which has less than 300.

A risk of nuclear war?

Remember that nine countries in the world have nuclear weapons. The United States and Russia, of course. France and the United Kingdom. India, China and Pakistan. Israel and North Korea, the last state to have acceded to the rank of nuclear power. But only the first two, the United States and Russia, are equipped with all the strategic nuclear weapons that exist. And it goes without saying — although it may be worth saying today — that the use of just a few of these weapons would surely lead to global catastrophe.

Most of the 6,000 nuclear warheads Russians remain in their reserves for the time being. But about 1,600 are permanently deployed. And it should be noted that if, at the time of thecollapse of the Union of Soviet Social Republics (USSR), nuclear weapons were present on Ukrainian soil, these have since been returned to Russia.

So all the experts agree: a nuclear war will not serve Vladimir Putin’s goals. But where most seemed calm a few days ago, many now admit to being “more worried” and hope today that “Vladimir Putin will remain rational”. So far, the Russian invasion has relied entirely on conventional weapons. And it seems obvious that from a strategic point of view, the use of nuclear weapons does not hold. However, the anger detected in the speeches of the Russian head of state is all the less reassuring as some experts consider him paranoid.