It's The Nuclear Missiles, Stupid

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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.