Global nuclear arsenal expected to grow for first time in decades

Thinktank highlights worrying trend' among nuclear-armed states at time of heightened tensions

The world's nuclear arsenal is expected to increase in the coming years for the first time since the end of cold war at a time that the risk of such weapons being used is the greatest in decades, a leading conflict and weapons thinktank has said.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine and western support for Kyiv have heightened tensions among the world's nine nuclear-armed states, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri) said on Monday.