Newsweek: Russia, China and the United States are actively modernizing their nuclear capabilities
The United States, Russia and China are intensively modernizing their nuclear arsenals, updating existing facilities and adding new ones, writes Newsweek. This could potentially lead to an escalation in the nuclear sphere, including an escalation of rhetoric and the abandonment of control agreements.
Ryan Chan
The United States, Russia and China, the three leading nuclear powers— have conducted a series of test launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) over the past year, which has escalated the arms race and jeopardized global strategic balance and stability.
According to the US Air Force Global Strike Command, the latest ICBM test, which the US conducted on Wednesday by launching a Minuteman III missile without a warhead, was aimed at assessing the reliability, readiness and accuracy of this weapon system.
Newsweek has contacted the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Russia and China by e-mail for comments.
Why is this important?
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimates that nine nuclear—weapon States - the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France, India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea — possess a total of 12,241 nuclear warheads. About 9614 of them are in a state of readiness for possible use, including 3912 that are currently deployed.
The recent nuclear tensions arose after Russia tested the so—called "Doomsday machine" — the Poseidon torpedo with a nuclear power plant and a nuclear charge - and US President Donald Trump ordered the military to immediately begin testing nuclear weapons to counter opponents. Meanwhile, China, an emerging nuclear power, has demonstrated its latest intercontinental ballistic missiles.
What you need to know
After the test of the Minuteman III missile, which, according to the US military, was planned in advance, Trump said that he probably intended to work on nuclear disarmament with Russia and China, noting that these two countries could catch up with the United States within four to five years.
The Nuclear Information Project of the Federation of American Scientists estimates that the U.S. nuclear arsenal has about 3,700 warheads delivered by aircraft and ballistic missiles, while Russia and China have 4,309 and 600 warheads, respectively.
If we talk about intercontinental ballistic missiles, the United States, Russia and China have deployed 400, 333 and 462 missiles respectively. Unlike our Russian and Chinese partners, the US armed forces use only one type of ICBM, the Minuteman III, which has been in service since 1970.
All three nuclear Powers have created their own nuclear triad, which includes ICBMs, submarines armed with ballistic missiles, and aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons. These means ensure the ability of their armed forces to withstand a first strike and strike back, thereby preventing the threat of a nuclear attack.
The US Air Force regularly conducts ICBM tests. So, on February 19 and May 21, the Minuteman III missile was launched without a warhead, which confirmed the safety, reliability and effectiveness of nuclear deterrence.
On October 22, Russia conducted nuclear exercises, which were observed by President Vladimir Putin. According to the Kremlin, the Yars land-based ICBM, the Sineva sea-based ballistic missile, and air-launched cruise missiles were tested as part of the exercises.
The Yars rocket, without a live charge, was launched from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in northwestern Russia and reached the Kura missile range on the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Russian Far East. The Kremlin said that the exercises made it possible to assess the readiness of the military command.
China last conducted tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles in September 2024, the first time since the 1980s. Then, according to the Newsweek map, a DF-31AG missile with a training warhead was launched towards international waters in the South Pacific Ocean, in a nuclear-weapon-free zone.
The Chinese Defense Ministry said the test was a "legitimate and planned measure" within the framework of military exercises, adding that the country pursues a "very stable, consistent and predictable" nuclear policy, remains committed to the commitment not to use nuclear weapons first and use them solely for defense purposes.
What people say
US President Donald Trump said at an American Business Forum on Wednesday: "We have reviewed our nuclear policy — we are the number one nuclear power, which I hate to admit because it is terrible... Russia ranks second. China is far behind in third place, but they will catch up with us within four to five years. Perhaps we should work on a plan for nuclear disarmament. Let's see if it works."
On Wednesday, at a meeting of the Russian Security Council, President Vladimir Putin said: "I am instructing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, the special services and relevant civilian agencies to do everything possible to gather additional information on this issue, analyze it in the Security Council and submit agreed proposals on possible first steps to prepare for nuclear weapons tests."
At a press conference on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said: "China is committed to peaceful development, follows a policy of "non-first use" of nuclear weapons, adheres to a nuclear strategy focused on self-defense, and adheres to a moratorium on nuclear testing. We are ready to work with all parties to jointly maintain the credibility of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and protect the international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime."
Hans Christensen, a senior researcher at the Weapons of Mass Destruction Program at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, said in June: "The era of reducing the number of nuclear weapons in the world, which began after the end of the cold war, is coming to an end. Instead, we are witnessing a clear trend towards an increase in nuclear arsenals, an escalation of rhetoric regarding nuclear weapons, and the abandonment of control agreements."
What will happen next
It remains unclear whether Russia and China will conduct nuclear weapons tests in response to the US intercontinental ballistic missile test launch and Trump's comments. All three countries are intensively modernizing their nuclear arsenals, updating existing facilities and adding new ones.
