The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) assumes that the world's nuclear arsenals will soon grow again in view of current tensions.
Despite a slight reduction in the total number of nuclear warheads to an estimated 12,705 worldwide, the peace researchers reckon in their annual report published on Monday that this number will probably grow again in the course of the coming decade.
Without immediate and concrete disarmament steps by the nine nuclear-weapon states, the global stockpile of nuclear weapons could soon rise again for the first time since the Cold War, the experts warned.
Around 90% of all nuclear weapons on Earth are held by the United States and Russia. Both countries have extensive and costly programmes under way to replace and modernize nuclear warheads, delivery systems and production facilities, according to SIPRI.
According to SIPRI, the seven other nuclear weapon states - Britain, France, China, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea - have all recently developed or deployed new weapon systems or at least announced this.
