Russia's Strategic Forces commander Colonel-General Nikolai Solovtsov speaks during a news conference in Moscow February 19, 2007. REUTERS/Yuri SamoligoRussia Military Says Needs 1,500 Warheads: Report -- Reuters
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia must keep at least 1,500 nuclear warheads after talks with the United States on a new arms treaty, Interfax news agency quoted the commander of Russia's Strategic Nuclear Forces as saying Wednesday.
If Moscow's final position reflects Colonel-General Nikolai Solovtsov's view, it would mean Russia is not willing to cut its stockpiles by more than a few hundred strategic warheads - far less than some arms control bodies had hoped.
"In this contract on a new strategic forces treaty, Russia must not have less than 1,500 nuclear warheads, but this decision is up to the political authorities of the country," Solovtsov told Interfax.
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My Comment: This is what I call a cold dose of reality. So much for all the great speeches and commitments on nuclear force reductions a few months ago from both President Obama and Russian President Medvedev .... it appears that when it comes to the nitty gritty, people change their minds.
However ... to save face ....Putin has already came out and stated that: Russia might abandon nukes if others do. As if that is going to happen sometime in our lives.