Before ratifying the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty in 2000, Russia and formerly the USSR carried out a total of 715 nuclear tests. Since 2000 the US has regularly made allegations that Russia has been secretly carrying out various low yield nuclear tests. This was part of the justification stated for our pulling out of the intermedia rate nuclear forces treaty. They have also been developing novel nuclear weapons such as the Poseidon torpedo system [1] the creates artificial radioactive tsunamis through targeted underwater nuclear detonations.
There was also a report from the Congressional Research Service about Russian arms exports and development from October 2021 [2]. It's filled with lots of interesting data, but a couple of interesting points: Russia is the world's second largest arm's exporter, behind only the US, accounting for 20% of all sales. Russia was also the driving force behind the modernization of the Chinese military. The only downside mentioned is that, "Despite producing modern and technologically advanced systems, Russia’s defense industry has numerous challenges, such as inefficiency, low production capacity, lack of a modern machinery base, limited innovation, and efforts to diversify into civilian and dual-use technologies."
We're currently in the middle of a ongoing information war. Take everything you read, from any source, about current events with a grain of salt. Remember how different Iraq looked before, during, and then long after the war. Ironically, slightly dated sources can provide the most relevant information.
There was also a report from the Congressional Research Service about Russian arms exports and development from October 2021 [2]. It's filled with lots of interesting data, but a couple of interesting points: Russia is the world's second largest arm's exporter, behind only the US, accounting for 20% of all sales. Russia was also the driving force behind the modernization of the Chinese military. The only downside mentioned is that, "Despite producing modern and technologically advanced systems, Russia’s defense industry has numerous challenges, such as inefficiency, low production capacity, lack of a modern machinery base, limited innovation, and efforts to diversify into civilian and dual-use technologies."
We're currently in the middle of a ongoing information war. Take everything you read, from any source, about current events with a grain of salt. Remember how different Iraq looked before, during, and then long after the war. Ironically, slightly dated sources can provide the most relevant information.
[1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Status-6_Oceanic_Multipurpose_...
[2] - https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R46937