“Global power is changing, and the third nuclear age is upon us,” said Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the British Chief of the Defence Staff, earlier this month.

“The security landscape today is more contested, uncertain and dangerous than we have ever experienced in our careers. This is particularly evident in the nuclear domain. We have seen wild threats from Russia with tactical nuclear weapons, large-scale nuclear exercises and simulated attacks on NATO countries, all aimed at forcing us to abandon the actions necessary to preserve stability,” he said.