It's The Nuclear Missiles, Stupid

By Janice Castro

SENIOR RUSSIAN MILITARY OFFICERS SAY UKRAINE IS GOING all out to break the launch codes for the 1,650 nuclear warheads in its possession, especially for its 500 air-launched cruise missiles and nuclear gravity bombs. The Russians calculate that it will take the Ukrainians six months to a year to decipher the complex electronic codes. There no longer seems to be much doubt that Ukraine has decided to become a nuclear power. It has refused to go along with the START treaty and no longer allows Russian engineers to perform routine maintenance on the 130 SS-19 (six-warhead) nuclear missiles and 46 SS-24 (10- warhead) missiles based in Ukrainian territory. The Russians are worried that the missiles are deteriorating. Even more worrisome: those short-range nukes of intense interest to the Ukrainians are the ones that could hit Russia.