Are Russia’s Massively Powerful Nukes Strategic Duds?

USA World

Comparing the yields of in service and retired nuclear warheads. 

Although economic sanctions have all but neutered much of the nation’s military modernization efforts, Russia has managed to keep itself relevant in the 21st century by fielding headline-grabbing exotic weapons, including massive nukes far greater in scale than anything Uncle Sam has to offer. 
With nuclear weapons like the RS-28 Sarmat ICBM and the Status-6 Oceanic Multipurpose System submersible drone, Russia can cause greater devastation to its targets today than at any point during the Cold War. The thing is… that just doesn’t really matter anymore. 
WNU Editor: They may be viewed as strategic duds in Washington, but in Moscow they view having this massive firepower as their insurance that the U.S. will be totally obliterated in any nuclear exchange.