This Major World Power Is Expanding Its Nuke Arsenal: Why We Should Be Concerned

The Defense Department has no plans to increase the size of the U.S. nuclear arsenal, Pentagon officials tell CBN News.

But that's not stopping one country from doing so, and we are not talking about North Korea.
      
CBN News has learned Russia is planning to expand its nuclear arsenal.

"The reason why we should be worried is because Russia's national security goals at times are at fundamental odds with the United States," explained Michaela Dodge, a missile defense and nuclear weapons modernization expert with The Heritage Foundation.

Dodge says Russia has consistently violated treaties by making certain types of nuclear armed ballistic missiles.

Now, Pentagon sources tell CBN News they've learned Russia wants to expand its nuclear weapons from approximately 7,000 to 8,000 over the next 10 years.

Some believe that includes nukes that would deliver a crippling electromagnetic pulse and weapons that release large amounts of radiation.
 
Sources say Russia's new weapons would likely include both large strategic warheads more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

CBN News has learned Russia plans to create more short-range missiles as well to get around arms treaty limits.
 
The Pentagon's top brass say they are monitoring the situation.
 
"It's about alliances and partnerships. We are going to continue to help our NATO allies to deter any aggression," Pentagon Chief Spokesperson Dana White said.
 
"We watch it closely," added Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, joint staff director. "We are on a trajectory that we believe is going to give us a lot of good alternatives as we confront their growing forces."
 
Dodge agrees with President Donald Trump that the U.S. must address its aging nuclear weapons supply.

She adds Russian President Vladimir Putin feels threatened by America's ballistic missile defenses, particularly those capable of shooting down intercontinental ballistic missiles.

"Right now, we are working under an assumption that potential with Russia is low, and Russia is no longer an adversary, which was President Obama's policy. That is not true," said Dodge.

Agreements with the United States currently limit Russia to 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear warheads at any one time. Extras must be set aside in non-deployed stockpiles.

Pentagon sources add Russia is also renovating two major command and control centers, along with several smaller facilities – something else that needs upgrading in the United States as well.