NCJ Number
196876
Journal
Jane's Intelligence Review Volume: 14 Issue: 9 Dated: September 2002 Pages: 48-49
Editor(s)
Christopher C. Aaron
Date Published
September 2002
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This article examines Russia’s enormous arsenal of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons and materials and the worldwide threat it poses based on concerns about the security and management of its stockpiles.
Abstract
The 12th Main Directorate of the Ministry of Defense (Glavnoye Upravlenliye Ministerstvo Oborony (GUMO)) is responsible for securing Russia’s nuclear munitions and military facilities. However, Russia has made slow progress in securing its stockpiles of nuclear weapons and materials, thereby making the country one of the main potential sources of raw materials for future “megaterrorism.” In addition to concern over nuclear weapons, concern is also identified regarding Russia’s stockpiles of non-nuclear or chemical weapons and their biological warfare program. The scaling down of Russia’s nuclear arsenal is seen as increasing the problem. With the insecure stockpile of nuclear materials growing, secure facilities to maintain this stockpile are insufficient. The access by potential terrorists to nuclear materials and poisonous isotopes is relatively easy. There are many undefended sources of nuclear material. However, potential “megaterrorists” need to overcome the technical challenges involved in constructing and using such weapons regardless of knowing the basic science. Efforts to control a large body of technicians from leaving the Soviet nuclear program have been ineffective. Because of the Russian-Chinese Commission on Nuclear Cooperation many Russian scientists and technicians are legitimately leaving and being sent abroad, making it difficult to control their movements and monitor their contacts.