Russia Has Increased Spending On Its Nuclear Weapons

When Russia's conventional armed forces remained weak and outdated in the years following the Cold War, it attached a high priority to its nuclear weapons as the cornerstone of its defence. The country has now embarked on an ambitious plan to modernize its entire military under the 2011-20 state armament program.

Alongside conventional systems, Russia is upgrading its intercontinental ballistic missiles and strategic bombers. A recent Sipri report has revealed how much Russia is paying for its nuclear weapons. In 2010, the country spend just under $7 billion on nuclear weapons (13.4 percent of total military spending) and by 2016, that had increased to just under $11 billion (13 percent of total spending).