Nuclear states. How many nuclear weapons are there in the world, and how is their proliferation controlled?

Today, nuclear weapons are thousands of times more powerful than the two infamous atomic bombs that destroyed the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. Since that bombing, the nuclear arms race various countries moved into a different phase, and under the pretext of nuclear deterrence never stopped.

Iran

• Status: Charged with unofficial possession.
• First test: never.
• Final test: never.
• Arsenal size: 2,400 kilograms of low-enriched uranium.

Top US military officials unanimously say Iran can produce at least one nuclear weapons annually, and it takes him a maximum of five years to develop a modern, functional atomic bomb.

Currently, the West regularly accuses Tehran of developing nuclear weapons, which is just as regularly denied by the Iranian leadership. According to the official position of the latter, nuclear program state has exclusively peaceful purposes and is being developed for the energy needs of enterprises and medical reactors.

After international verification in the sixties, Iran had to abandon its nuclear program (1979). However, according to secret Pentagon documents, it was resumed in the mid-nineties. For this reason, UN sanctions were imposed on the Asian state, the introduction of which should stop the development of Iran's nuclear program, which threatens peace in the region; nevertheless, Iran is a nuclear power.

Israel

• Status: not official.
• First test: possibly 1979.
• Last test: possibly 1979.
• Arsenal size: up to 400 units.
• Test Ban Treaty (CTBT): Signed.

Israel is considered a country that not only possesses full-fledged nuclear weapons, but is also capable of delivering them to various points through intercontinental ballistic missiles, aviation or navy. The state began its research in the nuclear field soon after its founding. The first reactor was built in 1950, and the first nuclear weapon in the sixties.

Currently, Israel does not seek to maintain its reputation as a nuclear power, however, many European countries, including France and the UK, are actively promoting Israel in this industry. You should know that information has been leaked that the Israelis have created mini nuclear bombs that are small enough to be installed in a suitcase. They were also reported to possess an unknown number of bomb neutrons.

• Status: official.
• First test: 2006.
• Last test: 2009.
• Arsenal size: less than 10 units.

In addition to possessing a significant arsenal of modern chemical weapons, North Korea is a full-fledged nuclear power. Currently, the state of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has a pair of operating nuclear reactors.

Today, in active North Korea two successful nuclear tests, which were confirmed by international experts based on the results of surveys and monitoring of seismic activity in the test areas.

• Status: official.
• First test: May 28, 1998.
• Last test: May 30, 1998.
• Arsenal size: from 70 to 90 units.
• Test Ban Treaty (CTBT): not signed.

Pakistan resumed its previously interrupted nuclear program in response to India's Buddha Smile test. The official statement from the authorities contains the following words: “If India creates an atomic bomb, we will eat grass and leaves for a thousand years, or even starve, but we will get similar weapons. Christians, Jews and now Hindus have the bomb. Why don't Muslims allow themselves to do this? ". This phrase belongs to the Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto after the tests in India.

Let us recall that Pakistan’s nuclear program was born back in 1956, but was frozen by order of President Ayub Khan. Nuclear engineers tried to prove that the nuclear program was vital, but the country's president said that if a real threat arose, Pakistan would be able to acquire ready-made nuclear weapons.

The Pakistan Air Force has two units operating the Nanchang A-5C (No. 16 and No. 26 Squadrons), which are excellent for delivery nuclear warheads. Pakistan ranks seventh in our ranking of nuclear powers in the world.

India

• Status: official.
• First test: 1974.
• Last test: 1998.
• Arsenal size: less than 40 to 95 units.
• Test Ban Treaty (CTBT): not signed.

India has an impressive number of nuclear weapons and is also capable of delivering them to their destination using aircraft and surface ships. In addition, its nuclear missile submarines are in the final stages of development.

The first nuclear test conducted by India had the original name "Smiling Buddha", as if this nuclear explosion pursued exclusively peaceful goals. The world community reacted to such actions after the 1998 tests. Economic sanctions The US, Japan and their Western allies introduced it against India.

• Status: official.
• First test: 1964.
• Last test: 1996.
• Arsenal size: about 240 units.
• Test Ban Treaty (CTBT): Signed.

Almost immediately after testing the first atomic bomb, China tested its hydrogen bomb. These events occurred in 1964 and 1967, respectively. Currently Chinese People's Republic has 180 active nuclear warheads and is considered one of the most powerful world powers.

China is the only state with a nuclear arsenal that has given security guarantees to all countries that do not have such technology. The official part of the document reads: “China undertakes not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states or nuclear-weapon-free zones, regardless of time and under any circumstances.”

• Status: official.
• First test: 1960.
• Last test: 1995.
• Arsenal size: at least 300 units.

France is a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and is known to possess weapons of mass destruction. Developments in in this direction in the Fifth Republic began after the end of World War II, but it was only possible to create an atomic bomb in 1958. Tests in 1960 made it possible to verify the functionality of the weapon.

To date, France has carried out more than two hundred nuclear tests, and its potential puts the country in fourth place in world ranking of nuclear powers.

• Status: official.
• First test: 1952.
• Last test: 1991.
• Arsenal size: more than 225 units.
• Test Ban Treaty (CTBT): Ratified.

The United Kingdom Great Britain ratified the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty back in 1968. The United States and the United Kingdom have worked closely and mutually beneficially on nuclear security issues since the 1958 Mutual Defense Treaty.

In addition, these two countries (USA and UK) also actively exchange various classified information received by state intelligence services.

Russian Federation

• Status: official.
• First test: 1949.
• Last test: 1990.
• Arsenal size: 2,825 units.
• Test Ban Treaty (CTBT): Ratified.

Soviet Union was the second country to detonate a nuclear bomb (1949). From then until 1990, Russia carried out at least 715 nuclear tests involving testing of 970 different devices. Russia is one of the most powerful nuclear powers in the world. The first nuclear explosion, with a yield of 22 kilotons, received given name"Joe-1."

The Tsar Bomba is by far the heaviest atomic weapon of all time. It was tested in 1967, detonating at a whopping 57,000 kilotons. This charge was originally designed at 100,000 kilotons, but was reduced to 57,000 kilotons due to the high likelihood of excessive radioactive fallout.

USA

• Status: official.
• First test: 1945.
• Last test: 1992.
• Arsenal size: 5,113 units.
• Test Ban Treaty (CTBT): Signed.

In total, the United States has conducted more than 1,050 nuclear tests and occupies a leading place in our top ten nuclear world powers. At the same time, the state has missiles with a nuclear warhead delivery range of up to 13,000 kilometers. The first test of the Trinity atomic bomb was carried out in 1945. This was the first explosion of this kind in world history, which demonstrated to humanity new type threats.

One of the greatest luminaries of the scientific world, Albert Einstein, approached President Franklin Roosevelt with a proposal to create an atomic bomb. So the creator unwittingly became the destroyer.

Today, according to the nuclear program North America More than twenty secret facilities operate. It is curious that during tests in the United States, there were many incidents with nuclear weapons, which, fortunately, did not lead to irreparable consequences. Examples include incidents near Atlantic City, New Jersey (1957), Thule Air Force Base, Greenland (1968), Savannah, Georgia (1958), at sea near Palomares, Spain (1966), off the coast of Okinawa, Japan (1965), etc.

Confrontation between the two most powerful nuclear powers in the world, Russia and the USA: video

The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) establishes that states that carried out a nuclear explosion before January 1, 1967 are recognized as nuclear powers. Thus, de jure in " nuclear club"includes Russia, USA, UK, France and China.

India and Pakistan are de facto nuclear states, but de jure they are not.

First nuclear test charger was conducted by India on May 18, 1974. On May 11 and 13, 1998, according to a statement from the Indian side, five nuclear charges were tested, one of which was thermonuclear. India is a consistent critic of the NPT and still remains outside its framework.

A special group, according to experts, consists of those who do not have nuclear status states capable of creating nuclear weapons, but refraining, due to political and military inexpediency, from transitioning to the category of nuclear states - the so-called “latent” nuclear states (Argentina, Brazil, Taiwan, the Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Japan and others).

Three states (Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan), which had nuclear weapons on their territory remaining after the collapse of the Soviet Union, signed in 1992 the Lisbon Protocol to the Treaty between the USSR and the USA on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms. By signing the Lisbon Protocol, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Belarus acceded to the NPT and were included in the list of countries that do not possess nuclear weapons.

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources

The total number of nuclear warheads in the world today is over 20 thousand, according to data from the Stockholm Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). More than half of this amount - 11 thousand - is contained in the arsenal of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

A report published today on the SIPRI website reveals that the world's eight nuclear powers have a total of 20,530 nuclear warheads. Of these, 5,027 are deployed. Russia occupies a leading position here too: at its disposal Missile Forces strategic purpose(Strategic Missile Forces) 2427 missiles with nuclear warheads. The United States is slightly inferior in this regard - it has 2,150 deployed nuclear warheads. France has almost 300 similar missiles, and Great Britain has almost half as many.

However, 5 thousand deployed warheads are just the tip of the global nuclear iceberg. The number of military nuclear warheads mothballed in military warehouses exceeds this figure three times. Strategic nuclear stockpiles The big nuclear five - Russia, the USA, France, Great Britain and China - as well as India, Pakistan and Israel that joined them, account for 15,500 warheads.

Russia remains the undisputed leader here, capable of equipping 8,570 missiles with nuclear warheads. The United States is not far behind, with 6,350 warheads stored in its warehouses. Great Britain and France have 65 and 10 nuclear weapons, respectively. China's entire nuclear arsenal of 200 warheads is kept in an undeployed state. The military nuclear potential of Delhi and Karachi is estimated at approximate figures: 80 - 100 warheads for India and 90 - 100 for Pakistan. Israel, according to experts, has 80 nuclear warheads.

While large nuclear powers are making efforts towards global nuclear disarmament, analysts note the growth of military nuclear potential in third world countries. Thus, within the framework of the agreement between the Russian Federation and the United States on the reduction of strategic and offensive arms (START-3), Russia reduced its arsenal by a thousand nuclear warheads. The United States cut its offensive reserves proportionately - by 900 units. But India and Pakistan, judging by the calculations of experts, have increased their combat power approximately 20 nuclear warheads each.

Note that, according to the US State Department, which published its report on American strategic capabilities a few days ago, the United States has more warheads than Russia. The report states that the Americans have 882 deployed ballistic missiles, while Russia has only 521. Moreover, the United States has a total of 1,800 nuclear warheads, while the Russian Federation has 1,537.

The published information was the result of data exchange between nuclear powers under the START-3 agreement. Exchange of information, when the United States transferred its database to its Russian counterparts, without, however, indicating specific numbers.

Meanwhile, the implementation of START III remains under threat due to disagreements between Russia and the United States over the American missile defense system in Europe. In mid-May, the Russian Foreign Ministry threatened to withdraw from the treaty if the Americans continued to place their weapons in European countries. Previously the head of the main operational management General Staff RF Armed Forces Andrei Tretyak said that the deployment American system missile defense (BMD) near Russian borders to our nuclear deterrent forces (SNF). Research organizations of the Ministry of Defense came to such conclusions during the analysis of plans to modernize the US missile defense system.

The list of nuclear powers in the world for 2019 includes ten main states. Information about which countries have nuclear potential and in what units it is expressed quantitatively is based on data from the Stockholm international institute Peace Research and Business Insider.

Nine countries that are officially owners of weapons of mass destruction form the so-called “Nuclear Club”.

No data.
First test: No data.
Last test: No data.

Today it is officially known which countries have nuclear weapons. And Iran is not one of them. However, he did not curtail work on the nuclear program and there are persistent rumors that this country has its own nuclear weapons. The Iranian authorities say that they are quite capable of building it for themselves, but for ideological reasons they are limited only to the use of uranium for peaceful purposes.

For now, Iran's use of nuclear power is under the control of the IAEA as a result of a 2015 agreement, but the status quo may soon be subject to change - in October 2017, Donald Trump said that the current situation no longer corresponds to US interests. How much this announcement will change the current political climate remains to be seen.

Number of nuclear warheads: 10-60
First test: 2006
Last test: 2018

The list of countries with nuclear weapons in 2019, to the great horror of the Western world, included the DPRK. Flirting with nuclear power in North Korea began in the middle of the last century, when Kim Il Sung, frightened by US plans to bomb Pyongyang, turned to the USSR and China for help. The development of nuclear weapons began in the 1970s, stopped as the political situation improved in the 90s, and naturally continued as it worsened. Already since 2004, nuclear tests have taken place in the “mighty, prosperous country.” Of course, as the Korean military assures, for purely harmless purposes - for the purpose of space exploration.

Adding to the tension is the fact that the exact number of nuclear warheads in North Korea is unknown. According to some data, their number does not exceed 20, according to others, it reaches 60 units.

Number of nuclear warheads: 80
First test: 1979
Last test: 1979

Israel has never said that it has nuclear weapons - but it has never claimed the opposite either. What adds piquancy to the situation is that Israel refused to sign the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Along with this, the “promised land” vigilantly monitors the peaceful and not so peaceful nuclear power of its neighbors and, if necessary, does not hesitate to bomb the nuclear centers of other countries - as was the case with Iraq in 1981. According to rumors, Israel has every opportunity to create nuclear bomb dating back to 1979, when light flashes suspiciously similar to nuclear explosions were recorded in the South Atlantic. It is assumed that either Israel, or South Africa, or both of these states together are responsible for this test.

Number of nuclear warheads: 120-130
First test: 1974
Last test: 1998

Despite successfully detonating a nuclear charge back in 1974, India officially recognized itself as a nuclear power only at the end of the last century. True, having blown up three nuclear devices in May 1998, just two days after that, India announced its refusal to further tests.

Number of nuclear warheads: 130-140
First test: 1998
Last test: 1998

It is no wonder that India and Pakistan, having a common border and being in a state of permanent unfriendliness, strive to overtake and surpass their neighbor - including in the nuclear field. After the Indian bombing of 1974, it was only a matter of time before Islamabad developed its own. As the then Prime Minister of Pakistan said: “If India builds its own nuclear weapons, we will make ours, even if we have to eat grass.” And they did it, albeit twenty years late.

After India conducted tests in 1998, Pakistan promptly carried out its own, detonating several nuclear bombs at the Chagai test site.

Number of nuclear warheads: 215
First test: 1952
Last test: 1991

Great Britain is the only country of the nuclear five that has not conducted tests on its territory. The British preferred to carry out all nuclear explosions in Australia and Pacific Ocean, however, since 1991 it was decided to stop them. True, in 2015, David Cameron gave in to the fire, admitting that England was ready to drop a bomb or two if necessary. But he didn’t say who exactly.

Number of nuclear warheads: 270
First test: 1964
Last test: 1996

China is the only country that has committed not to launch (or threaten to launch) nuclear strikes on non-nuclear-weapon states. And at the beginning of 2011, China announced that it would maintain its weapons only at a minimum level. sufficient level. However, since then, China's defense industry has invented four types of new ballistic missiles that are capable of carrying nuclear warheads. So the question of the exact quantitative expression of this “minimum level” remains open.

Number of nuclear warheads: 300
First test: 1960
Last test: 1995

In total, France conducted more than two hundred nuclear weapons tests - from an explosion in the then French colony of Algeria to two atolls in French Polynesia.

Interestingly, France has consistently refused to take part in the peace initiatives of others nuclear countries. It did not join the moratorium on nuclear testing in the late 50s of the last century, did not sign the treaty banning military nuclear tests in the 60s, and joined the Non-Proliferation Treaty only in the early 90s.

Number of nuclear warheads: 6800
First test: 1945
Last test: 1992

The country that possesses it is also the first power to carry out a nuclear explosion, and the first and only one to date to use nuclear weapons in a combat situation. Since then, the United States has produced 66.5 thousand units atomic weapons more than 100 different modifications. The bulk of US nuclear weapons are submarine-launched ballistic missiles. Interestingly, the United States (like Russia) refused to participate in the negotiations on the complete renunciation of nuclear weapons that began in the spring of 2017.

US military doctrine states that America retains enough weapons to guarantee both its own security and the security of its allies. In addition, the United States promised not to strike non-nuclear states if they comply with the terms of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

1. Russia

Number of nuclear warheads: 7000
First test: 1949
Last test: 1990

Russia inherited some of its nuclear weapons after the collapse of the USSR - existing nuclear warheads were removed from the military bases of the former Soviet republics. According to the Russian military, they may decide to use nuclear weapons in response to similar actions. Or in case of strikes with conventional weapons, as a result of which the very existence of Russia will be threatened.

Will there be a nuclear war between North Korea and the United States?

If at the end of the last century the main source of fears of a nuclear war was the strained relations between India and Pakistan, then the main horror story of this century is the nuclear confrontation between the DPRK and the United States. Threaten North Korea nuclear strikes- a good US tradition since 1953, but with the advent of the DPRK’s own atomic bombs the situation has reached new level. Relations between Pyongyang and Washington are tense to the limit. Will there be a nuclear war between North Korea and the United States? It is possible and will be if Trump decides that the North Koreans need to be stopped before they have time to create intercontinental missiles, which are guaranteed to reach the west coast of the world stronghold of democracy.

The United States has kept nuclear weapons near the borders of the DPRK since 1957. And a Korean diplomat says the entire continental US is now within range of North Korea's nuclear weapons.

What will happen to Russia if a war breaks out between North Korea and the United States? There is no military clause in the agreement signed between Russia and the DPRK. This means that when war starts, Russia can remain neutral - of course, strongly condemning the actions of the aggressor. In the worst case scenario for our country, Vladivostok could be covered with radioactive fallout from the destroyed DPRK facilities.

The arms race in the 20th century encouraged powers to develop under the plausible pretext of deterring nuclear attacks. In fact, some countries categorically deny their involvement in combat tests, despite the fact that nuclear arsenal circumstantial evidence speaks on their territory.

But, whatever the position, scientists and ordinary mortals interested in the issue understand: if the bombing begins, then the historical “Little Boy” and “Fat Man” dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 will seem like an amateur performance in comparison with that fiery cauldron , which will begin on the planet. Considering the current capabilities of the nuclear arsenal of some countries. Whatever one may say, the most powerful nuclear bomb was made under the USSR.

Nuclear arsenal of countries, number of nuclear warheads by country 2017/2018

A country	Nuclear program	Number of nuclear arsenal (warheads)
	Second country to develop nuclear weapons. It has the largest arsenal of any country and is investing heavily in modernizing its warheads and launch vehicles.	7000
	The first country to develop nuclear weapons and the only country to use them in war. The US spends the most on its nuclear arsenal.	6800
	Most nuclear warheads are carried on submarines equipped with M45 and M51 missiles. One boat is on patrol 24/7. Some warheads are launched from aircraft.	300
	China has a much smaller arsenal than the US and Russia. Its warheads are launched from the air, from land and from sea. China is increasing the size of its nuclear arsenal.	270
	It supports a fleet of four nuclear submarines in Scotland, each has 16 Trident missiles. The UK Parliament voted in 2016 to modernize its nuclear forces.	215
	It is significantly improving its nuclear arsenal and related infrastructure. IN last years he increased the size of the nuclear arsenal.	120-130
	India has developed nuclear weapons in violation of non-proliferation obligations. It increases the size of the nuclear arsenal and expands launch capabilities.	110-120
	It maintains a policy of ambiguity regarding its nuclear arsenal, neither confirming nor denying its existence. As a result, there is little information or discussion about it.	80
	North Korea has a new nuclear program. Its arsenal probably contains fewer than 10 warheads. It is unclear whether he has the capacity to deliver them. We wrote the nuclear bomb of North Korea.	10
	Total	14900 warheads

Nuclear Club list of countries

Russia

• Russia received most of its atomic weapons after the collapse of the USSR, when mass disarmament and removal of nuclear warheads to Russia were carried out at the military bases of the former Soviet republics.
• Officially, the country has a nuclear resource of 7,000 warheads and ranks first in the world in terms of weapons, of which 1,950 are deployed.
• The former Soviet Union conducted its first test in 1949 with a ground launch of an RDS-1 rocket from the Semipalatinsk test site in Kazakhstan.
• The Russian position regarding nuclear weapons is to use them in response to a similar attack. Or in case of attacks with conventional weapons, if this threatens the existence of the country.

USA

• The incident of two missiles dropped on two Japanese cities in 1945 is the first and only example of a live atomic attack. Thus, the United States became the first country to implement nuclear explosion. Today it is also the country with the most powerful army in the world. Official estimates report 6,800 active units, of which 1,800 are deployed in combat status.
• The last US nuclear test was carried out in 1992. The US takes the position that it has sufficient weapons to protect itself and allied countries from attack.

France

• After World War II, the country did not pursue the goal of developing its own weapons of mass destruction. However, after Vietnam War and the loss of its colonies in Indochina, the country’s government reconsidered its views, and since 1960 it conducted nuclear tests, first in Algeria, and then in two uninhabited coral islands in French Polynesia.
• In total, the country conducted 210 tests, the most powerful of which were the Canopus in 1968 and the Unicorn in 1970. There is information about the presence of 300 nuclear warheads, 280 of which are located on deployed carriers.
• The scale of the global armed confrontation clearly demonstrated that the longer the French government ignores peaceful initiatives to curb weapons, the better for France. Even France acceded to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty proposed by the UN in 1996 only in 1998.

China

• China. China conducted its first test of an atomic weapon, codenamed “596,” in 1964, opening the way to becoming one of the five residents of the Nuclear Club.
• Modern China has 270 warheads in storage. Since 2011, the country has adopted a policy of minimal weapons, which will be used only in case of danger. And the developments of Chinese military scientists are in no way behind the leaders in weapons, Russia and the United States, and since 2011 they have presented to the world four new modifications of ballistic weapons with the ability to load them with nuclear warheads.
• There is a joke that China is based on the number of its compatriots, who make up the largest diaspora in the world, when talking about the “minimum necessary” number of combat units.

Great Britain

• Great Britain, like a true lady, even though it is one of the leading Five nuclear powers, and such obscenity as atomic tests on my own territory, did not practice. All tests were carried out away from British lands, in Australia and in the Pacific Ocean.
• She began her nuclear career in 1952 with the activation of a nuclear bomb with a yield of more than 25 kilotons per TNT equivalent aboard the frigate Plym, anchored near the Pacific Montebello Islands. In 1991, testing was stopped. Officially, the country has 215 charges, of which 180 are located on deployed carriers.
• The UK actively opposes the use of nuclear ballistic missiles, although there was a precedent in 2015, when Prime Minister David Cameron cheered up the international community with the message that the country, if desired, could demonstrate the launch of a couple of charges. The minister did not specify in which direction the nuclear greeting would fly.

Young nuclear powers

Pakistan

• Pakistan. The common border with India and Pakistan prevents them from signing the Non-Proliferation Treaty. In 1965, the country's foreign minister said that Pakistan would be ready to begin developing its own nuclear weapons if neighboring India began to do so. His determination was so serious that he promised to put the entire country on bread and water for the sake of protection from armed provocations of India.
• Development of explosive devices has been ongoing for a long time, with variable funding and construction of facilities since 1972. The country conducted its first tests in 1998 at the Chagai training ground. There are about 120-130 nuclear warheads in storage in the country.
• The emergence of a new player in the nuclear market forced many partner countries to impose a ban on the import of Pakistani goods into their territory, which could greatly undermine the country's economy. Fortunately for Pakistan, it had a number of unofficial sponsors who provided funds for nuclear testing. The largest revenues were oil from Saudi Arabia, imported into the country daily at 50 thousand barrels.

India

• The birthplace of the most cheerful films to participate in nuclear race pushed by the neighborhood with China and Pakistan. And if China has long been in the position of superpowers and does not pay attention to India, and does not particularly oppress permanent job over its potential and refusal to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
• Nuclear power prevented India from venturing out into the open from the very beginning, so the first test, codenamed “Smiling Buddha” in 1974, was carried out secretly, underground. All developments were so classified that the researchers even notified their own Minister of Defense about the tests at the last moment.
• Officially, India admitted that yes, we sin, we have charges, only in the late 1990s. According to modern data, there are 110-120 units in storage in the country.

North Korea

• North Korea. The favorite move of the United States - “showing strength” as an argument in negotiations - was very disliked by the DPRK government back in the mid-1950s. At that time, the States actively intervened in Korean War, allowing the atomic bombing of Pyongyang. The DPRK learned its lesson and set a course for militarizing the country.
• Together with the army, which today is the fifth largest in the world, Pyongyang is conducting nuclear research, which until 2017 was not particularly interesting to the world, since it took place under the auspices of space exploration, and relatively peacefully. Sometimes the neighboring lands shook South Korea from medium-sized earthquakes of unknown nature, that’s all the trouble.
• At the beginning of 2017, the “false” news in the media that the United States was sending its aircraft carriers to meaningless promenades off the Korean shores left a residue, and the DPRK, without much concealment, conducted six nuclear tests. Today the country has 10 nuclear units in storage.
• How many other countries are conducting research on developing nuclear weapons is unknown. To be continued.

Suspicions of nuclear weapons storage

There are several known countries suspected of storing nuclear weapons:

• Israel, like the old and wise Reve, is in no hurry to lay his cards on the table, but does not directly deny the presence of nuclear weapons. The “Non-Proliferation Treaty” has also not been signed, and it’s more invigorating than the morning snow. And all that the world has are only rumors about the nuclear tests that the Promised One allegedly conducted since 1979 together with South Africa in the South Atlantic and the presence of 80 nuclear warheads in storage.
• Iraq, according to unverified data, has been storing an unknown number of nuclear weapons for an unknown number of years. “Simply because it can,” they said in the United States, and at the beginning of the 2000s, together with Great Britain, they sent troops into the country. Later they apologized heartily that they were “mistaken.” We didn't expect anything else, gentlemen.
• Came under the same suspicions Iran, due to testing the “peaceful atom” for energy needs. This became the reason to impose sanctions on the country for 10 years. In 2015, Iran pledged to report on uranium enrichment research, and the country was released from sanctions.

Four countries cleared themselves of all suspicion by officially refusing to participate “in these races of yours.” Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine transferred all their capacities to Russia with the collapse of the USSR, although the President of Belarus A. Lukashenko sometimes sighs with a hint of nostalgia that “If only there were any weapons left, they would talk to us differently.” And South Africa, even though it once participated in the development of nuclear power, openly withdrew from the race and lives quietly.

Partly due to internal contradictions political forces, who opposed nuclear policy, partly due to lack of necessity. One way or another, some have transferred all power to the cultivation of the “peaceful atom”, and some have abandoned nuclear potential altogether (like Taiwan, after the accident at Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine).

List of countries that have phased out nuclear programs:

• Australia
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Libya
• Egypt
• Taiwan
• Switzerland
• Sweden
• South Korea