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 The
term "suitcase nukes" refers to very small nuclear explosive
devices. Small nuclear weapons, such as atomic demolition munitions
(ADM's), were produced by the United States and the Soviet Union
during the Cold War. Some of these types of weapons were designed
for use by special forces for sabotage in the event of a war. These
devices had very low explosive yields
(around 1 kiloton),
were portable, and may not have had the same security features as
larger nuclear devices.
In 1997, General Alexander Lebed, former Secretary of the Russian
Security Council, alleged that some former Soviet suitcase-sized
nuclear weapons were unaccounted for, and there was speculation
that they had been lost or stolen. Russian officials quickly rejected
these allegations, although their rejections were ambiguous. Some
Russian government officials claimed that the Soviet Union had never
built ADMs, while others admitted that ADMs may have existed but
insisted that they were all accounted for and under strict control.
While it is likely that the Soviet Union produced these small,
portable nuclear weapons, it is more difficult to determine whether
or not any have gone missing. Those who claim that these nuclear
weapons were stolen suggest that the thefts took place in the early
1990s. If so, then it is surprising that there have not been any
attempts to use these weapons, or to credibly threaten their use.
Furthermore, nuclear weapons experts point out that small nuclear
weapons require routine maintenance because of the deterioration
of nuclear materials and related components. If any nuclear devices
were stolen in the early 1990s, it is unlikely that they would still
be fully functional. There is, however, no firm evidence of any
theft of Russian nuclear weapons. Russian and U.S. policymakers
remain watchful, but do not believe any of these devices are in
the hands of terrorists today.
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