Russia increases deployed nuclear warheads for fourth consecutive year

According to the 2026 ‘World Nuclear Forces’ report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Russia has increased its number of deployed nuclear warheads for the fourth consecutive year. As of January 2026, Russia possesses a total of 5,420 nuclear warheads, with 1,796 deployed on delivery systems and considered ready for use. This represents a 14 percent increase compared to 2020 levels and is the highest number of deployed warheads for Russia since 2017.

The Russian nuclear triad includes approximately 892 warheads on intercontinental ballistic missiles, 586 assigned to strategic aviation, and 704 available via its naval component, which utilizes 13 strategic submarines. Additionally, 2,604 warheads are held in central storage, while 1,020 have been decommissioned.

In contrast to Russia's expansion, the United States has maintained its deployed arsenal at approximately 1,770 units. France and the United Kingdom maintain levels of around 280 and 120 warheads, respectively. China is also seeing a significant increase, with its total arsenal reaching approximately 620 warheads and its number of ready-to-use warheads rising from 24 to 34.