MOSCOW, Russia – Russia says it has begun assessing the feasibility of resuming nuclear weapons testing in response to statements by US President Donald Trump instructing the Pentagon to restart tests “immediately.”
Deputy Security Council Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said Moscow was being “forced” to review its nuclear posture following the US announcement.
In a post on his English-language Telegram channel, Medvedev wrote:
“Donald Trump is the president of the United States, and the consequences of such words are inescapable: Russia will be forced to assess the expediency of conducting full-fledged nuclear tests itself.”
Trump claimed that other nations were already conducting nuclear tests and directed the Pentagon to do the same, though he did not specify whether he meant actual warhead detonations or subcritical experiments.
During a meeting with Russia’s Security Council, President Vladimir Putin reiterated Moscow’s commitment to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) but warned that Russia would respond if other signatories violated the pact.
Putin instructed the Defense Ministry, the Foreign Ministry, and intelligence agencies to evaluate the feasibility of preparing for potential tests.
However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state news agency TASS that Moscow is not yet taking any practical steps toward resuming tests.
“There is no talk of actual preparations at this stage,” Peskov said.
The developments raise fresh concerns about a potential return to Cold War-style nuclear brinkmanship, as both Washington and Moscow reassess their deterrence strategies amid deteriorating relations.
