“Until then, Ukraine had the world's third-largest nuclear weapons stockpile, of which Ukraine had physical, but not operational, control. Russia alone controlled the codes needed to operate. Their use was dependent on Russian-controlled electronic Permissive Action Links and the Russian command and control system” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest_Memorandum_on_Securit...
If Ukraine had held on to those nukes, disconnected, an engineer today could re-work them to function under Kiev’s command. (American PALs from the era have de-classified weaknesses that merited upgrades. Post-USSR nuclear safekeeping was roundly criticised for decades [1].)
Even barring that, possessing fissile material is no small feat. It would give Kiev the credible capability to e.g. threaten large sections of Russian agricultural production. That’s the sort of thing that deters tanks.
I don't know where they got it, the book author cited in Wiki. The man cited read too much Tom Clancy I guess.
USSR nuclear weapons had no permissive action links as such
Kazakhstan's, and Ukrainian's nukes were fully operational, sans confused nuclear weapons officer command chain.
The launch codes were employed, but they were used solely for checking the authenticity of launch, and targetting commands.
I agree with some of what you say, but "the Soviet Union ceased to exist" is too simplistic. The codes necessary for firing the weapons (without modification) were controlled by military leaders largely in Russia.
This is a myth. There was a discussion in the midst of a negotiation that mentioned this. The final agreement, the Budapest Memorandum, which everyone is presently violating, did not.
https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/russia-programs/2017...
It just didnt appear in any treaty.
For the Soviet Union I think the notion that diplomatic assurances were meaningless unless backed by a treaty wasnt considered.
If you and I are negotiating the purchase and sale of a car, I say 10, you acknowledge my 10 and say 20, and we settle on 15, my heirs can’t later claim you said 10 and so agreed to it. That is the nonsense argument being raised here.
Even Gorbachev, to whom these statements were made, concurs he never understood there to be an agreement.
[1] https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/document/16117-document-06-record-...
https://foreignpolicy.com/2014/01/21/air-force-swears-our-nu...
The section of the Soviet military controlling those nukes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/43rd_Rocket_Army) became a part of the Ukranian military. Why wouldn't their equipment?