What Nuclear Weapons does Ukraine have? It would take millions of tons of enriched uranium to make a nuclear weapon. The components of the bomb would require precision timing and fabrication. Ukraine does not have the necessary facilities to do all of this. Furthermore, Ukraine cannot afford to develop such complex weapons. Therefore, the question arises: Is Ukraine a threat to the United States? Let’s answer this question by considering the possible consequences of such a move.
First of all, Ukraine lacks the nuclear material needed to build a nuclear weapon, as well as the facilities to produce it. During the Obama administration’s nuclear security summit, Ukraine agreed to remove all highly enriched uranium from its facilities. Though Ukraine has uranium deposits, it currently lacks the conversion facility to produce uranium hexafluoride gas or enrichment plants that separate uranium-235. Moreover, a nuclear buildup would require huge investments.
The pre-independence movement of Ukraine supported the effort to become a nuclear-weapons-free state. Its Declaration of Sovereignty pledged not to accept, develop, or acquire nuclear weapons. However, the new Ukrainian government did not agree to give up nuclear weapons because not all of them were overwhelmingly in favor. While some politicians favored their possession, others believed that Russia was still a threat and that Ukraine should keep these weapons as a deterrent.
The country has legacy Soviet industries that are capable of developing missiles and weapons delivery systems. For example, the Antonov design bureau, which was responsible for the largest airplane in the world, was shut down after a Russian strike in 1996. Then, in 1999, Ukraine was able to transfer two Tu-160 bombers to Engels, while the remaining six Tu-95MS bombers and six aircraft were sent to Russia via rail.
The Ukraine is currently a key battleground in the world, with Russia on the brink of waging war with its own neighbor. Vladimir Putin’s nuclear threat was established long before the war began, and Kherson is the first major city to fall in the Kremlin’s hands since 24 February. The question is, what kind of nuclear weapons does Ukraine have? There is no definitive answer, but there are a few things we can do.
Ukraine used the nuclear weapons as a bargaining chip in negotiations with the Russians for economic aid and security assurances. These negotiations resulted in the Budapest Memorandum, signed in 1994. The agreement also required Russia to respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. However, the Memorandum was never enforced, and Russia annexing Crimea in 2014 did not fulfill this commitment. However, Russia did continue to possess nuclear weapons and is a major concern.
In addition to the Ukraine’s nuclear arsenal, the country also has an active nuclear program. These weapons were stationed in Ukraine by the Soviet Union and became the third largest nuclear power in the world. The Soviet military had a total of 1,800 strategic and 4,000 tactical nuclear weapons stationed in the country. It’s a shame that Ukraine did not use these weapons despite the threat that Russia poses to the country.
If Putin decides to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine, it will be considered a crime against humanity and cement Putin’s reputation as a mass murderer. Even if he does use them, it is unclear what kind of a victory Putin would want. After all, Russia has already been hit with crippling sanctions, and he should want to avoid a general nuclear exchange in order to keep the country’s economy from suffering.