Russian president Vladimir Putin announced Wednesday that Russia would consider resuming nuclear tests if the United States does the same, convening a security council meeting in response to U.S. president Donald Trump’s recent comments.
Trump had earlier instructed the Pentagon to “start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis” with Russia and China.
Putin ordered the defense and foreign ministries, as well as security services, to gather information and make proposals on possible preparations for nuclear weapons testing. During the council meeting, Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov suggested “begin immediate preparations” for testing in the Arctic archipelago of Novaya Zemlya.
Russia has not conducted a nuclear test since 1990, the year before the collapse of the USSR, but Putin emphasized that Moscow would respond in kind if Washington conducts nuclear tests.
In October, Russia conducted two tests of nuclear-capable weapons, excluding atomic warheads, as part of ongoing military developments. One of them is Russia’s Poseidon underwater drone, which is equipped with nuclear propulsion and capable of traveling over 70 knots at depths exceeding one kilometre.
Aside from North Korea, no nation has carried out an atomic explosion test in the 21st century.
