Just days before the Trump-Putin summit, Russia’s nuclear arsenal has suddenly been getting a lot of attention.
RT ran a review of Russian strategic forces by military expert Dmitry Kornev that covers most of the major weapons systems. “Today, Russia’s missile forces form one of the most technologically diverse and sophisticated arsenals anywhere in the world,” Kornev writes. “They blend the engineering legacy of the Soviet era with cutting-edge innovations—from upgraded solid-fuel ICBMs to the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle, and new-generation systems poised to enter service in the post-INF era.”
Kornev reports, among other things, that the RVSN, Russia’s Strategic Rocket Forces, “is one of the most modernized branches of the Russian military: over 95% of its missile systems are new or upgraded to the latest standard”; that the replacement of the Topol M single-warhead ICBM by the Yars multi-warhead missile is well advanced; and that the RVSN has fielded two regiments of ICBMs equipped with the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle. “Coming soon is the Sarmat heavy liquid-fuel ICBM,” Kornev writes. “Sarmat will be able to carry several Avangard glide vehicles or up to 10-14 conventional warheads.”
Then there’s the Oreshnik. “Russia’s August 1, 2025 decision to abandon its self-imposed moratorium on intermediate-range missiles cleared the way for the Oreshnik to enter service within months—perhaps weeks....” Kornev continues. “Deployment is expected in western Russia and Belarus, reshaping the European strategic theater.”
