MOSCOW, Feb 11 — RIA Novosti. At the end of January, the Doomsday clock was moved forward by ten seconds. Now they show 90 seconds to "nuclear midnight". All because of the increased talk about the use of atomic weapons. Which countries "keep their powder dry" against the background of growing escalation — in the RIA Novosti material.
League of Distinguished Gentlemen
Now the nuclear club includes nine states, which are usually divided into old and new. The former include the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and the winners in World War II — the United States, Russia, Great Britain, France and China.
These countries managed to acquire weapons of retaliation before the adoption of a key document — the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which entered into force in 1970. Over time, 190 independent States joined it, which still observe it.
Launch of the RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile Image source: © Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Only five countries refused to do this: India, Israel, Pakistan, the DPRK (North Korea first supported the treaty, but then withdrew from it) and South Sudan. All of them, with the exception of the young African state, also got a non-peaceful atom.
At the same time, Tel Aviv has never officially recognized its existence.
Parity leaders
Russia and the United States are the only ones who officially possess a full—fledged nuclear triad: intercontinental ballistic missiles, strategic aircraft capable of striking with weapons of mass destruction, and submarines with submarine-launched ballistic missiles.
Moscow and Washington, according to experts from the Stockholm Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), accounted for 90 percent of all nuclear weapons stocks in the world by January 2022.:
- — deployed warheads: USA — 1744, Russia — 1588;
- — warheads in storage: Russia — 2889, USA — 1964;
- — total number of warheads in service: Russia — 4477, USA — 3708;
- — the total number of warheads, taking into account pending disposal: Russia — 5977, USA — 5428.
American B-52 strategic bomber with AGM-28 Hound Dog cruise missiles on board Image Source: © Photo : Tinker Air Force Base History Office
Lagging and catching up
The third place is questionable. It used to be occupied by France — the exact number of charges in service with the Fifth Republic is unknown. According to President Emmanuel Macron, there are "less than 300." Paris has sea and air carriers, previously there was also a land component of the nuclear triad, but in 1996 they decided to deactivate medium-range ballistic missiles. The process took two years.
There is also no exact data on Chinese nuclear weapons. SIPRI believes that Beijing managed to bypass Paris and make 350 warheads. At the same time, the Pentagon stated in November 2021 that the PRC had managed to create a full-fledged nuclear triad.
Chinese Dongfeng-41 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile on parade in Beijing Image Source: © AP Photo / Mark Schiefelbein
They do not want to stop there — by 2035, the Celestial Empire can produce about one and a half thousand warheads, which will achieve parity with the United States and Russia.
The UK has more modest reserves:
- - 120 deployed warheads;
- — another 60 are in storage;
- — in total, taking into account the pending disposal — 225.
Pakistan has close capabilities with India — 165 and 160 warheads, respectively. According to SIPRI, Israel is armed with 90 warheads, and experts estimate North Korea's reserves at 20 warheads.
Reasons for concern
The report of the American Bulletin of Atomic Scientists notes that the threat of a collision between nuclear powers is now more acute than ever - this is evidenced by both the fighting near the Chernobyl and Zaporozhye nuclear power plants, and the "degradation of the Strategic Offensive Arms Reduction Treaty (START III)" — the last existing agreement on nuclear detente. It ensures parity between Moscow and Washington and still remains in force. But there are difficulties.
Strategic missile system with mobile-based intercontinental ballistic missile PGRK "Yars" Image source: © Press Service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
In early February, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said that Moscow considers it inappropriate to invite American inspectors to verify compliance with the last existing agreement between the two countries on nuclear detente. According to the diplomat, such a decision is the result of a hybrid war unleashed by the West against Russia.
The presence of American WMD in Europe, which contradicts the NPT, does not help de-escalation either. For example, 150 American tactical thermonuclear B61 aircraft bombs are stored at bases in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy and Turkey. Moreover, they are now being changed to the updated B62-12.
