ABSTRACT
This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on the concepts discussed in the preceding chapters of this book. The book draws attention to the phenomenon of decentralized policymaking and the imperative for rethinking conceptual and practical assessments of nuclear security in Russia. It focuses on common themes related to general uncertainties surrounding the ability of Russian policymaking to manage the nuclear complex. The book reviews common conclusions related to persistent gaps in the distribution of power and responsibility for oversight, specifying three dimensions of regional intrusion into Russian nuclear policymaking. It then assesses the various implications that decentralization has for securing and stabilizing Russia's nuclear sector. The book offers practical lessons for refining cooperative nonproliferation assistance given these findings. It also offers a preliminary cut at systematically addressing the two lingering issues by explicating the managerial challenges posed by the separation of centralized power and control over Russia's nuclear complex.
