Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday he has more modern destruction equipment than weapons at his disposal, suggesting that he could use nuclear weapons against hostile countries. nato He threatened to use “all possible means” to protect (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and Russia. The declaration came seven months after the start of the war in Ukraine.
Russia also announced the mobilization of thousands of reservists. –The first of its size since WWII.
Increasing threats are raising fears of a nuclear conflict with the potential to destroy the entire planet. Other countries also have arsenals of complete destruction.
Nuclear tests may have been carried out by the Biden administration, North Korea, and China to showcase their army of high destruction. The USA and Russia have atomic bombs that can be triggered at any time, but they are not alone.
There are currently nine countries in the world with such weapons. Them:
- United States of America
- Russia
- United Kingdom
- France
- Chinese
- India
- Pakistan
- North Korea
- Israel
Only the top five can officially own these weapons. This was signed in 1968. NPT (Treaty Spread Prevention Nuclear). The five countries in question were the victors of the Second World War and are permanent members of the UN Security Council (United Nations).
Which country has the most nuclear weapons?
A survey conducted in February this year and published by UOL showed that the United States and Russia have 11,527 nuclear warheads. There are 5,977 on the Russian side and 5,550 on the North American side.
Together, the two countries control more than 90% of the total number of atomic bombs in the world. “This is enough to destroy all life on Earth several times,” summarized radioactive waste researcher Júlio Oliveira. UOL News.
Governments do not disclose where nuclear warheads are stored. But according to experts, most of them are installed on submarines, which makes them difficult to find.
Bombs around the world
While Russia theoretically has more warheads, the US holds the most evenly distributed arsenal worldwide. According to the FAS (Federation of American Scientists) and the Center for Non-Proliferation, the United States has 100 atomic bombs scattered across Europe.
- 15 bombs in Kleine Brogel, Belgium
- 15 bombs in Büchel, Germany
- 20 bombs in Aviano, Italy
- 15 bombs in Ghedi, Italy
- 15 bombs in Volkel, Netherlands
- 20 bombs in Incirlik
This issue was already addressed by the Russian government during the war in Ukraine. In his speech at the United Nations Conference on Disarmament in March, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the presence of US nuclear weapons on European soil was “unacceptable”. And “it’s time for them to withdraw”.
In his speech on Wednesday, Putin threatened to retaliate against other countries’ blackmail for the use of nuclear weapons. “Those who try to blackmail us with nuclear weapons should know that the winds can turn in their direction,” said the Russian President. “I’m not bluffing,” he added.
The North American side argues that the positioning of weapons in other countries is strategic for NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and a “collective defense” for countries that are part of the military alliance.
“To ensure the safety of its allies, the United States has deployed a limited number of B61 weapons in certain locations in Europe, with the weapons fully under U.S. supervision and control in the NPT (English Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty),” reads a quote from the NATO-issued statement.
improbable war
The fear of nuclear war is nothing new and goes all the way back to the Cold War. after monday World War II, in which the United States and the former Soviet Union fought for world economy and arms control. Almost flashes have occurred at various times, such as the Cuban and Turkish Missile Crisis of the 1960s.
Now, even with so many warheads under each country’s control, a nuclear war seems unlikely.
“Nuclear war is highly unlikely. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be a conventional armed conflict between certain states. If there is actual use of force, it’s likely to happen by non-atomic means,” he says. Professor Vitelio Brustolin is a researcher at Harvard University and a professor at the Institute for Strategic Studies at Fluminense Federal University.
The professor explains that it is not interesting for countries to increase their production of nuclear weapons. “After a certain point, an increase in quantity means a surplus, as the currently known arsenal will already be capable of destroying the planet,” Brustolin emphasizes.
source: Noticias
