The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute in Sweden published a report on the world’s nuclear arsenal on April 13. The report stated that although the number of nuclear warheads in the world is in decline, the risk of using nuclear weapons has been the highest since the Cold War because Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his readiness to use nuclear weapons in his aggression against Ukraine.
According to the report, the number of nuclear warheads held by the nine nuclear weapon states dropped by 375 warheads from the previous year to 12,705 warheads.
Russia held the largest number, 5,977 warheads, down 278 warheads from the previous year, while the United States came in second, with 5,428 warheads, down 122 warheads.
In the report, the number of nuclear warheads is projected to rise for the first time in the next 10 years. If this increase occurs, it will be the first time since the end of the Cold War.
While the United States and Russia are progressively dismantling aging nuclear warheads, the report pointed out that “the role of nuclear weapons in military strategy is becoming clearer, as all nuclear weapon states are increasing their production of nuclear weapons and improving their nuclear arsenals.
The institute expressed the view that moves to strengthen nuclear deterrence will continue in the future.
The institute has warned that if the nuclear weapon states do not take immediate and concrete action toward disarmament, the number of nuclear weapons could increase for the first time since the Cold War.
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