The memorandum included security assurances against threats or use of force against the
territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.
As a result, between 1994 and 1996, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine gave up their nuclear weapons. Until then, Ukraine had the world's
third-largest nuclear weapons stockpile,
[2][3] of which Ukraine had physical, but not operational, control. Russia alone controlled the codes needed to operate the nuclear weapons
[4][5] via Russian-controlled electronic
Permissive Action Links and the Russian command and control system.
[4][5] Formally, these weapons were controlled by the
Commonwealth of Independent States.
[6]