Russia’s deployed nuclear capacity overtakes US for first time since 2000

Russia’s deployed nuclear capacity overtakes US for first time since 2000

Russia has 1,643 nuclear missiles ready to launch – one more than the US – according to an official State Department report. Both countries have been upgrading their active nuclear arsenals since the outbreak of the Ukrainian conflict.

The US report is based on official figures exchanged between the two countries as part of the New START disarmament treaty, and includes missiles deployed before September 1.