Nuclear Russia: International and domestic agendas

The book “Nuclear Russia” is coming out at the crucial and difficult period for nuclear (and, in fact not just nuclear) arms control, non- proliferation and disarmament. To put it squarely, towards the end of the second decade of the 21st century this process ended up in deep systemic crisis (like many other areas of international life).

“Nuclear Russia” is not a textbook for students – it reflects the research done by respective authors, their appreciation of hard facts and, to some extent, personal attitudes and ways of looking at things. A critical eye would probably notice some room for improvement. In my view, some chapters are too heavy on the narrative side at the expense of the authors` own conclusions, and conclusions are often supported by references to the views of the “grands” of Russian non-proliferation and arms control community. Many Foreword 9 quotes of Russian official statements (which is inevitable while discussing Russian political positions) sometimes appear static and overlook the fact that some of them could have been issued in a certain historical, political or diplomatic context and have been overtaken by events. One could find some popular clichés that migrate from one study to another without being properly verified.

The book contains a lot of well-researched material and will be of use to a wide range of readers and scholars.