''Worrying trend'': Post-Cold War drop in nukes could be over
A Swedish arms watchdog says the worlds stockpiles of nuclear weapons are expected to increase in coming years, reversing a decline seen since the end of the Cold War.The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, or SIPRI, said Monday that all nine nuclear-armed countries are increasing or upgrading their arsenals.There are clear indications that the reductions that have characterised global nuclear arsenals since the end of the Cold War have ended, said Hans M.
- Country:
- Sweden
A Swedish arms watchdog says the world's stockpiles of nuclear weapons are expected to increase in coming years, reversing a decline seen since the end of the Cold War.
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, or SIPRI, said Monday that all nine nuclear-armed countries are increasing or upgrading their arsenals.
“There are clear indications that the reductions that have characterized global nuclear arsenals since the end of the Cold War have ended,” said Hans M. Kristensen, a researcher with SIPRI's Weapons of Mass Destruction Programme and director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists.
The US and Russia, which hold 90% of the world's atomic weapons, saw their inventories decline in 2021 due to the dismantling of warheads retired from military service years ago. Their useable military stockpiles remained relatively stable and within the limits set by a nuclear arms reduction treaty, SIPRI said.
The research institute said that the other nuclear states — Britain, France, China, India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea — are either developing or deploying new weapon systems, or have announced their intention to do so. Israel has never publicly acknowledged having such weapons.
“All of the nuclear-armed states are increasing or upgrading their arsenals and most are sharpening nuclear rhetoric and the role nuclear weapons play in their military strategies,” said Wilfred Wan, the director of SIPRI's Weapons of Mass Destruction Programme. “This is a very worrying trend.''
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
- READ MORE ON:
- North Korea
- Britain
- India
- Weapons
- China
- Russia
- Swedish
- Weapons of Mass Destruction Programme
- Cold War
- Wilfred Wan
- Hans M. Kristensen
- The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
- Federation of American
- Pakistan
- Israel
- SIPRI
- Nuclear Information Project
- France
- Mass Destruction Programme
ALSO READ
Israeli defence minister says a direct Iranian attack would require appropriate response
"She was walking barefoot, her pyjamas soaked in blood": Mother of Israeli hostage urges world to free daughter from Hamas
Pakistan truck crash death toll rises to 18
Israel reports attempted terror attack at military post
"Knows a thing or two about terrorism, how to confront it": Former Israeli envoy lauds Indian support after Hamas attacks