Belarus ranked high in 2016 NTI Index

Belarus has been ranked high in the 2016 NTI Index, the rating of the most nuclear secure countries released in the United States. Belarus placed 8th behind Australia, Switzerland, Canada, Poland, Belgium, Germany and Norway.

The report is published once in two years and covers two main categories: risk of nuclear theft and sabotage. The Nuclear Security Index divides countries into two groups. One of them comprises 24 states that have one kilogram or more of weapons-usable nuclear materials. The other group includes 152 countries with less than one kilogram of nuclear materials or none at all. Belarus entered the group of 24.

Australia ranked the most nuclear secure country in the world for the third time in a row. The group of 24 countries also included Kazakhstan (17th), Russia (18th), China (19th), and Israel (20th).

Iran and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea have the worst index among the countries possessing weapons-usable nuclear materials. Some of the Arab countries and Israel are at the bottom in the sabotage risk ranking. As for cyber security, two tens of states lack minimal protection requirements. Among them is China, Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Kazakhstan and Israel.

The Nuclear Security Index is developed by the Economist Intelligence Unit (part of the Economist Group) on the initiative of Sam Nunn, a former Senate Armed Services Committee Chair.

The report provides recommendations on strengthening nuclear security. In particular, the report suggests strengthening cyber security at nuclear facilities, timely planning of reliable protection measures in the construction of new objects, as well as long-term planning following the final nuclear security summit. The fourth and final summits are due to take place in Washington in March-April 2016.