Russia's conventional forces are strained at the moment, supporting the frozen conflicts in East Ukraine, Transdniester, South Ossetia, and an expeditionary force in Syria. With the price of crude oil approaching $30 on the global market, many analysts have said Putin's adventure in the Middle East is unsustainable.
Washington Times: Putin strengthens nuclear forces as tensions with US rise
A mockup of a Soviet AN-602 hydrogen bomb (Tsar Bomb) is displayed at the exhibition devoted to the 70th anniversary of Russia's nuclear industry in Moscow on Sept. 1, 2015.
