The Kremlin reacted today to the announcement of the American president, who asked the Pentagon to start the tests, saying that it has not done such tests but Moscow will follow if Washington does.
The , for the first time in 33 years.
“Due to the testing programs of other countries, I have directed the War Department to begin testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis. This process will begin immediately,” the American president wrote on Truth Social.
New nuclear arms race?
“President Trump mentioned in his announcement that other countries are engaging in nuclear weapons testing. Until now we didn’t know that anyone was testing,” the Kremlin spokesman said.
According to him, Russia was not previously informed by the US about the change in Washington’s position regarding the nuclear weapons tests.
Asked whether the Kremlin believes Trump’s remarks are sparking a new nuclear arms race, Peskov replied: “not really.”
The Kremlin spokesman stressed that Russia’s test of the nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile on October 21 and the also nuclear-powered Poseidon underwater drone on October 28 were in no way tests of nuclear weapons.
Russia: “If the US tests nuclear weapons, we will too”
The Russian president has repeatedly stated that if any country starts testing nuclear weapons, then Russia will do the same.
“I want to recall President Putin’s statements, which we have repeated many times: if someone leaves the moratorium, Russia will act accordingly,” Peskov stressed.
Since the breakup of the USSR, Russia has not tested any nuclear weapons. The Soviet Union last tested a nuclear weapon in 1990, the US in 1992 and China in 1996.
