Russia's nuclear shield must be strengthened in the coming years due to the "colossal threats" that the country faces. This was stated by Rosatom CEO Alexei Likhachev, quoted by "Reuters".
"Now, in the current geopolitical situation, is a time of colossal threats to the existence of our country. "Therefore, the nuclear shield, which is also a sword, is a guarantee of our sovereignty," Likhachev stressed, adding that the nuclear shield should be improved in the coming years.
In May, US President Donald Trump unveiled plans for the so-called "Golden Dome" anti-missile shield, inspired by Israel's ground-based "Iron Dome" anti-missile shield, which will cost at least $175 billion.
The American dome will be designed to intercept a range of missiles - including ballistic, hypersonic and cruise - and is aimed at blocking threats from Russia and China. But military experts say no such shield can intercept all missiles, especially in the quantities that Moscow or Washington could launch.
According to a study by the Federation of American Scientists, Russia has about 4,300 nuclear warheads in storage and deployed, and the United States has about 3,700, a total of about 87 percent of the world's total. China is the world's third-largest nuclear power with about 600 warheads, followed by France with 290, Britain with 225, India with 180, Pakistan with 170, Israel with 90 and North Korea with 50.