The United States and Russia each have thousands of nuclear warheads that could destroy the planet many times over. These weapons are so powerful that even a small amount of radiation would kill anyone within a few miles of where the bomb exploded.
Here’s what you need to know about them.
In addition to having the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons in the world, Russia also has the largest number of nuclear weapons per capita. This means that there are more nuclear bombs in Russia than anywhere else in the world.
The Soviet Union had over 1,000 nuclear weapons at its peak.
The Soviet Union was one of the first countries to develop nuclear weapons. It began testing them in 1949, and by 1953, it had developed an atomic bomb. By 1957, the USSR had produced enough fissionable material to build 100 nuclear weapons.
Russia now has around 4,500 nuclear warheads.
In addition to having the largest number of nuclear warheads, Russia also has the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons. According to the Federation of American Scientists, Russia currently has 9,000 nuclear warheads, compared with 7,200 held by the United States.
Russia has tested more nuclear bombs than anyone else.
Russia has been testing its nuclear arsenal since 1949. Since then, the country has conducted more than 1,500 tests. This includes both underground and aboveground tests.
Russia has more nuclear submarines than any other country.
In addition to having more nuclear weapons than any other country, Russia also has more nuclear submarines than anyone else. There are currently 29 active nuclear subs in the Russian fleet.