President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia has 2,000 small nuclear weapons, but their utility on the battlefield may not be worth the longer-term costs.
Author: DAVID E. SANGER and WILLIAM J. BROAD
Putin’s Threats Highlight the Dangers of a New, Riskier Nuclear Era
After generations of stability in nuclear arms control, a warning to Russia from President Biden shows how old norms are eroding.
U.S. Says North Korea Is Testing a New Intercontinental Missile
The missile, first displayed in 2020, was tested twice in recent days. While it is unclear whether it can reach the U.S., it poses a new military challenge to President Biden in the midst of the Ukraine war.
Putin Declares a Nuclear Alert, and Biden Seeks De-escalation
When the Russian leader ordered his nuclear forces into “special combat readiness,” the U.S. could have gone on high alert. Instead, the administration tried not to inflame him.
As China Speeds Up Nuclear Arms Race, the U.S. Wants to Talk
The Pentagon thinks Beijing may build 1,000 or more weapons by 2030. But it’s the new technologies that worry strategists.
China’s Weapon Tests Close to a ‘Sputnik Moment,’ U.S. General Says
Gen. Mark A. Milley said China’s testing of a hypersonic missile “has all of our attention.”
Iran Nears an Atomic Milestone
Edging close to a bomb’s worth of fuel is seen as a tactic to pressure the Biden administration into agreeing to a quick renewal of the 2015 nuclear deal.
Trump’s Virus Treatment Revives Questions About Unchecked Nuclear Authority
Even before the president was given mood-altering drugs, there was a movement to end the commander in chief’s sole authority to launch nuclear weapons.
Iran Crosses a Key Threshold: It Again Has Sufficient Fuel for a Bomb
So far, the evidence suggests that Iran’s recent actions are calculated to pressure the Trump administration and Europe rather than rushing for a bomb.
Iran Challenges Trump, Announcing End of Nuclear Restrictions
President Trump thought the nuclear deal was flawed because restrictions on Iran would end after 15 years. Now, responding to a U.S. strike, Iran has declared the limits over after less than five.