The nuclear weapons of the great powers

A mushroom cloud rises into the sky after a nuclear test in Nevada in 1952. Anonymous / AP  

 

The nuclear weapons of the great powers 

Great powers more active at nuclear weapons facilities  

 

Russia, the United States and China have built many new buildings and tunnels at their nuclear testing facilities in recent years. In addition, traffic to and from the facilities has increased. It shows satellite images obtained by CNN. 

 

The images come from the Chinese region of Xinjiang, from a Russian facility in the Arctic Ocean and from the desert state of Nevada. Professor Jeffrey Lewis says there are many signs that the countries may soon return to nuclear tests, although there is no direct evidence that tests are imminent.  

 

He is supported by Cedric Leighton, a retired US Air Force colonel, who notes that the countries have invested "a lot of time, effort and money". He also highlights that the Russian plant is now open all year round.  

 

- It is quite clear to me that the Russians are preparing for a possible nuclear weapons test, he says.  

 

Neither country has tested a nuclear weapon since the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty was hammered out in 1996. Before that, the United States conducted 1,032 tests, the Soviet Union 715 and China 45, according to UN data.

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