During the Cold War the Soviet Union and the United States amassed large arsenals of chemical weapons. Soviet scientists weaponized blister agents - lewisite, sulphur, and mustard gas, nerve agent - saran, soman, and V-type nerve agents, placing them into artillery shells, short-range missiles, and aerial bombs. Extremely lethal, the USSR”s chemical weapons stockpile exceeded 40,000 metric tons. In 1992 President Yeltsin declared that chemical weapons were dangerous and obsolete, and stated that he would sign the UN’s Chemical Weapons Convention. By 1997, both Russia and the United States had ratified the treaty and it entered into force.

At this point, Russia declared that it would eliminate seven large chemical stockpiles. It submitted a national plan to the CWC Treaty organization. Russian ministries, Defense and Finance, began fighting for funds to initiate reductions. Then a series of national crises led Russia to request foreign assistance. In 1995-96, Dr. H. Smith, US Defense Department, negotiated with General S. Petrov, Chemical Weapons Command, on chemical destruction processes, new facilities designs, transportation, safety and other issues. US Defense Secretary Perry pressed Smith to move faster, and to commit funds more rapidly. Suddenly, the Russian ruble collapsed in late 1998; this cooperative program collapsed as well.

Following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the situation changed. President Putin declared that chemical weapons destruction was a “priority.” He established a new state committee with new leadership. Ministry of Finance approved $106 million annually. Then, at the G-8 meeting in Canada in June 2002, Putin appealed for international assistance. All G-8 national leaders responded, pledging collectively $20 billion over ten years. This infusion of new leadership, organization, and funding reenergized the CW destruction program across Russia. By 2012 Russia reported to the CWC Organization that it had destroyed 90 per cent of its chemical weapons.

Paper based on U.S. program documents, Russian documents, and interviews with Russian and US policy and program managers. Includes photographs of construction sites, and operations at various Russian CW destruction facilities.