How China's Nuclear Stockpile Compares to US and Russia

Russian officers walk past an RS-24 Yars nuclear missile during a Victory Day Parade rehearsal on May 2 in Moscow, Russia boasts the world's largest nuclear stockpile with an estimated 5,580 warheads, though over 1,000 of these are being retired.

Russia, the United States and China possess the world's three largest nuclear arsenals.

Together, the U.S. and Russia account for nearly 90 percent of the world's nuclear weapons, though China is amid a rapid buildup in line with President Xi Jinping's goal of rivaling the U.S. as a military power by mid-century.

The following compares the state of the foremost nuclear powers.

Russia

Russia boasts the largest number of nuclear warheads with an estimated 5,580, including 1,200 marked for retirement and 2,670 in reserve.

Almost none of Russia's warheads are believed to be on nonstrategic short-range systems, while 1,710 are deployed strategically following tensions with NATO over the Ukraine invasion. Moscow suspended its participation in the New START treaty, which capped deployed nuclear weapons.

Last month, President Vladimir Putin ordered tactical nuclear exercises in response to what Russia's Defense Ministry described as "provocative statements and threats" from Western officials.

Newsweek reached out to the Russian Foreign Ministry with a written request for comment.

United States

The U.S. is estimated to have 5,044 nuclear warheads, with 1,336 retired and awaiting dismantlement.

Of the remaining warheads, 1,938 are being kept in reserve, and about 100 are deployed as nonstrategic warheads at military installations with short-range launch systems. A further 1,670 are deployed on intercontinental missiles or at bases that house strategic long-range bombers like the B-52 Stratofortress.

In 2019, the U.S. withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, citing Russian violations, prompting the Kremlin to abandon the deal as well. The two countries inked the treaty in 1987 to limit the ranges of their respective ground-launched nuclear-capable missiles.

Newsweek reached out to the Department of Defense for comment.

China

China has more than doubled its stockpile since 2020, according to U.S. Department of Defense estimates.

At the current pace, Beijing will build up its current roughly 500 warheads to 700 by 2027 and exceed 1,000 by 2030, the Pentagon has forecast.

In a report on Monday, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) wrote that China might have for the first time put some of its nuclear weapons on high operational alert. The report estimated there 24 currently deployed.

China has also been constructing hundreds of missile silos to boost its rapid nuclear counterattack capability. Despite this build-up, China maintains a no-first-use policy on nuclear weapons and has called for talks on reducing arsenals and non-first-strike commitments among major nuclear powers.

When asked about SIPRI's estimates on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian criticized U.S. nuclear policies.

"If you are truly interested in issues about strategic security, I would also recommend that you turn your attention to the U.S.'s heavy investment in upgrading its nuclear triad, and increase in nuclear-sharing and extended deterrence," he said.

Newsweek reached out to the Chinese Foreign Ministry via a written request for comment.

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