Russia Threatens to Conduct Nuclear Tests if US Initiates Them

The Russian government reacted on Thursday (30) to President Donald Trump’s statements about the resumption of nuclear weapons testing by the United States, stating that Moscow has not conducted tests but would follow suit if Washington did. Trump ordered the US Armed Forces on Thursday to immediately resume nuclear weapons testing after a 33-year hiatus, just minutes before starting a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump stated that, due to ‘other countries’ testing programs,’ the United States would begin conducting tests ‘on an equal footing.’ Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized that Russia’s test of the Burevestnik cruise missile on October 21 and the testing of the Poseidon nuclear super torpedo on October 28 were definitely not nuclear weapons tests. Putin, who oversees the world’s largest nuclear arsenal, has repeatedly stated that if any country tests a nuclear weapon, Russia will also do so. ‘I want to remind you of President Putin’s statement, which has been repeated many times: if anyone violates the moratorium, Russia will act accordingly,’ Peskov said. Post-Soviet Russia has never conducted a nuclear test. The Soviet Union last tested in 1990, the US in 1992, and China in 1996.