NATO prepares for nuclear war: exercises to start on Monday
10 October 16:35NATO is preparing for its annual Steadfast Noon exercise, which will begin on Monday. This time, the Alliance will train to use equipment capable of using nuclear weapons. This was announced by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during his visit to London, where he met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, reports Komersant Ukrainian reports citing Evropeiska Pravda.
About 60 aircraft from 13 NATO member states will take part in the manoeuvres, including F-35A fighters and B-52 bombers. The exercise will focus on the territory of the United Kingdom, over the North Sea, as well as in the airspace of Belgium and the Netherlands.
Mark Rutte emphasised the importance of the exercise.
“In an uncertain world, it is vital that we test our defences and strengthen them, so that our adversaries know that NATO is ready and able to respond to any threat,”
– the Secretary General said.
Although the exercise does not involve the use of live weapons, some 2,000 troops will simulate missions using US nuclear warheads. The exercise will last approximately two weeks.
Earlier, Rutte stressed the need to ignore nuclear threats from Russia, noting that NATO currently sees no immediate threat of Russia using nuclear weapons.
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The situation with nuclear weapons in the world
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), as of 2023, the total number of nuclear warheads produced by nuclear-armed states reached 12,512. Approximately 9,576 are kept in military stockpiles. About 3,844 warheads are deployed with missiles. About 2,000 warheads, mostly from Russia and the United States, are maintained on high alert.
Nine countries are officially recognised or perceived to possess nuclear weapons: The United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea.
NATO countries have the following nuclear arsenal:
- USA: 5,044 warheads (1,770 deployed).
- United Kingdom: 225 warheads (120 deployed).
- France: 290 warheads (280 deployed).
Russia and its allies have the following nuclear capabilities:
- Russia: 5,580 warheads (1,710 deployed).
- China: approximately 500 warheads (24 deployed).
- North Korea: estimated at 50 warheads.
- Belarus: has no nuclear weapons of its own, but since 2023 has been hosting Russian nuclear weapons (about 130 warheads).
In total, NATO countries (the United States, the United Kingdom, and France) have approximately 5,559 nuclear warheads, of which 2,170 are deployed. Russia and its allies (including China, North Korea, and nuclear weapons deployed in Belarus) have approximately 6,260 warheads, of which 1,734 are deployed. Thus, the Russians and their allies have even more nuclear warheads, but fewer of them are ready for use.
It is important to note that the number of nuclear weapons in the world has decreased significantly since the peak of the Cold War, when there were more than 70,000 warheads.