Watchdog: Nuclear states modernize their weapons, Chinese arsenal is growing

STOCKHOLM (AP) — A report on the world’s nuclear weapons says the nine nuclear-armed states continue to modernize their arsenals and several of them deployed new nuclear-armed or nuclear-capable weapons systems in 2022. The head of Swedish think tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said Monday that “we are drifting into one of the most dangerous periods in human history.” SIPRI estimated that of the total global inventory of 12,512 warheads in January 2023, some 9,576 were in military stockpiles for potential use which was 86 more than in January 2022. The independent institute listed the nuclear-armed states as the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel.