Problems with the classification of non-strategic nuclear weapons
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Abstract
The article discusses the historical development, functions and modern role of tactical nuclear weapons (TNF) in the field of international security, especially in the military-political relations of great powers and in disarmament negotiations. The issue of tactical nuclear weapons has been actively discussed for more than 30 years, both in the context of strategic and non-strategic levels, where it is an important element in the process of ensuring the balance of power and international stability. The article reviews the stages of the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALW-1, SALW-2, SALW-3) between the USSR and the USA, within which tactical nuclear systems were considered as a subject of both reduction and delimitation. The study highlights the specificity of the Cold War period, when the Soviet Union considered tactical nuclear weapons as an important tool for deterring the use of similar Western systems, while the United States and its allies perceived them as an element of strengthening strategic nuclear guarantees. Since the 1990s, tactical nuclear weapons have become the subject of parallel commitments for the USSR/Russia
and the United States, aimed at reducing tensions in Europe and Asia and maintaining strategic parity.
The article also discusses recent changes in the role of tactical nuclear weapons in the international security system, including the distribution of their functions, the growth of their importance in the operational theater, and cooperation in international programs, such as the Nunn-Lugar projects. The article examines how tactical nuclear weapons operate in the context of operational strategy and security policy, and outlines Moscow's vision of balancing Western nuclear forces and the ability to take appropriate strategic pressure.
The study is based on historical analysis, an assessment of international agreements, and the prospects for the use of tactical nuclear weapons in the context of modern security challenges.