© Vladimir Smirnov/TASS
December 17, Russia celebrates the Day of Missile troops of strategic purpose (RVSN). A memorable date was established by the decree of the President of Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on may 31, 2006. The right to birth in 1959, the troops received the secret decree of the USSR Council of Ministers.
At the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union in the strategic missile forces, there were six armies and 28 divisions. The peak number of missiles on combat duty reached in 1985 (2500 missiles, of which 1398 Intercontinental). The greatest number of warheads on combat duty, it was noted in 1986 was 10 300.