Soviet-Declared START Facilities

A significant step towards ending the Cold War.

START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) was a bilateral agreement signed between the United States and Soviet Union in 1991 that ultimately led to the largest single instance of nuclear arms reduction in the history of the world – nearly 80% of weapons then in existence. Mutual trust was a necessity to ensure the treaty was followed by both sides, and the resulting relaxation in international relations essentially led to the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the U.S.S.R. the same month as the map’s publication.

The image divides the former country into its respective socialist republics, with operational and support facilities identified using a variety of colored symbols explained in detail by the legend in the lower right. ICBM complexes, bomber bases, and support facilities are just a few of the locations noted within borders.