Countries deploying growing number of nuclear weapons, international monitors warn
Countries deploying growing number of nuclear weapons, international monitors warn
International observers noted on Thursday that nuclear-armed states accelerated production and deployment of their arsenals last year, signaling a “concerning development” amid rising global conflicts. According to the authors of the annual Nuclear Weapons Ban Monitor report, all nine nuclear-armed nations—Russia, the United States, China, France, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, India, Israel, and North Korea—have either expanded their stockpiles or declared intentions to do so.
Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) and a key contributor to the report, described the trend as “an enormous shift.” The report, jointly published by FAS and Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), revealed that the number of nuclear warheads immediately available for use reached 9,745 in 2025, surpassing the 2024 total by 141. This amounts to roughly 135,000 bombs of the size used in Hiroshima, a single detonation of which claimed 140,000 lives in 1945.
“The continued annual rise in deployed warheads is a concerning development,” Kristensen added, cautioning that the trend “increases the risks of rapid escalation, miscalculation, and accidental use.” He emphasized that “this makes the world more dangerous for us all.”
Despite the global total of 12,187 warheads currently held by nuclear states, the report highlighted that the number has risen from early 2025, when it stood at 12,331. This contrasts sharply with the mid-1980s peak of over 70,000 warheads during the Cold War. The report also pointed to the recent expiration of the New START treaty, the last agreement between Russia and the United States, as an example of weakening arms control measures.
Meanwhile, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) has gained traction, with 99 countries signing or joining it by the end of 2025. However, none of the nine nuclear-armed states have endorsed the treaty. Instead, they are prioritizing modernization and expansion, a move Kristensen criticized as “increasingly aggressive messaging” around nuclear capabilities.
Raymond Johansen, head of NPA, warned in a statement that the situation reflects “more than a new arms race” and represents a reversal of decades of progress in curbing nuclear threats. The report noted that 33 “umbrella” states actively support these policies, while 47 nations remain opposed to the TPNW, with the majority located in Europe.
“There is no shelter under a nuclear umbrella,” stated Melissa Parke, leader of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. “They must join the global majority advocating total nuclear disarmament.”