Military Watch: 15 countries worldwide capable of nuclear strikes

Currently, there are 15 countries in the world with the capability to carry out a nuclear strike, according to a Military Watch Magazine article.

“Although the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons has restricted just five countries to owning nuclear weapons, namely the United States, China, Russia, France and the United Kingdom, a total of fifteen countries today retain at least a limited known capability to launch nuclear attacks,” the article notes.

The authors identify the “traditional” nuclear powers as the United States, Russia, France, China, and the United Kingdom. In addition, the publication divides other countries into four groups based on their potential nuclear capabilities.

The first group includes China, the United States, and Russia, as they possess a full nuclear triad. The second group consists of India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel, which, according to the journalists, have developed their own nuclear weapons despite the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

France and the United Kingdom make up the third group, as they have submarines equipped with ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

Finally, the fourth group includes Belarus, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Türkiye, and Italy—countries that have received nuclear weapons from their allies.

By Vugar Khalilov