MOSCOW: Russia has called on the United States to clarify recent statements made by President Donald Trump regarding the potential resumption of nuclear testing, warning that such an action could provoke strong reactions from other nations.
Speaking at a press briefing in Moscow on Friday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the remarks had raised serious concerns and demanded an official explanation from Washington.
Last week, President Donald Trump directed the US military to immediately restart preparations for nuclear weapons testing, ending a 33-year pause. However, it remains unclear whether he was referring to full-scale nuclear-explosive tests—overseen by the National Nuclear Security Administration—or to flight tests involving nuclear-capable missiles.
Amid the uncertainty surrounding Washington’s intentions, President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered senior officials to draft proposals for a potential Russian nuclear test should the United States proceed with one of its own.
Russia has not conducted a nuclear test since the Soviet Union’s dissolution in 1991. Together, Moscow and Washington hold the world’s largest stockpiles of nuclear weapons.
In his post, Trump claimed the United States had more nuclear weapons than any other country and that the arsenal was modernised during his first term in office.
However, independent estimates from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) contradict that claim, showing Russia with 5,489 nuclear warheads, the United States with 5,177, and China with around 600.
The United States last conducted a full-scale nuclear test in September 1992, when a 20-kiloton device was detonated underground in Nevada.
Then-President George H.W. Bush imposed a moratorium the following month, which has been upheld by successive administrations.
