This report provides background information on the location of nuclear weapons at the time of the demise of the Soviet Union and their subsequent relocation to storage and deployment areas in Russia. It also provides a description of the safety, security, and control issues raised in 1991 and in more recent years. It includes a brief listing of the cooperative programs and assistance the United States has provided to Russia and the other former Soviet states in an effort to address concerns about the safety and security of nuclear weapons and materials.