‘Putin never ordered a nuclear test’: Russia reaffirms commitment to ban

Moscow: The Kremlin on Sunday refuted claims that President Vladimir Putin had authorised a nuclear test, reaffirming Moscow’s adherence to the moratorium on nuclear weapons testing. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia would only reconsider its stance if the United States resumed testing.

“President Putin has repeatedly stated that Russia adheres to its obligations under the nuclear tests ban and we are not going to carry them out,” Peskov said in a televised interview. “However, if Washington indeed carries out nuclear weapons tests, Russia will have to reciprocate. Nuclear parity remains a vital element of global security.”

His remarks came after US President Donald Trump claimed in a Truth Social post on 29 October that he had “instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis.” Trump also said the United States possessed the world’s largest nuclear arsenal, followed by Russia and China.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow was waiting for Washington’s response to Putin’s earlier proposal to maintain a freeze on strategic arms when the New START Treaty expires in February next year. Lavrov described the proposal as “straightforward and beneficial for both sides,” adding that Russia was prepared for “any development.”

The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), signed in 2010 and extended in 2018, limits both sides to 1,550 deployed warheads and 700 strategic delivery systems. Despite the Ukraine war and sanctions, both Russia and the US have voluntarily continued to observe these limits.

Russia last conducted a nuclear test in 1990, while the United States carried out its last in 1992. However, Moscow has recently tested advanced nuclear-powered weapon systems, including the Burevestnik cruise missile and Poseidon underwater drone, both of which it insists are not “nuclear tests.”

Russia’s reiteration of its commitment to the nuclear test ban comes amid escalating rhetoric between Moscow and Washington over nuclear modernisation and strategic parity. The Kremlin’s clarification follows Trump’s statement suggesting the US was preparing to resume testing, which sparked concerns among global security analysts about a possible end to the long-standing moratorium.

According to Russian defence commentator Mikhail Khodoryonk, recent Russian tests of nuclear-capable systems such as the Burevestnik and Poseidon were demonstrations of delivery technologies rather than actual detonations of nuclear devices. “These are weapons platforms, not nuclear explosions,” he explained, distinguishing them from ‘hot’ nuclear tests prohibited under international agreements.

Foreign Minister Lavrov’s remarks also highlight Moscow’s desire to maintain arms control stability despite the breakdown of broader dialogue since the Ukraine conflict. “We are not trying to persuade anyone,” Lavrov said in his RIA Novosti interview. “We believe our move is in the interests of both sides and the entire international community.”

The US and Russia, despite maintaining voluntary adherence to the START limits, have continued developing next-generation nuclear platforms amid mutual distrust. Analysts warn that renewed testing could unravel decades of arms control progress and spark a new global arms race.

Russia’s last full-scale nuclear test occurred in 1990, while the US last conducted one in 1992. Since then, both nations have relied on computer simulations and subcritical tests to maintain their arsenals under the moratorium.

As tensions rise, experts say the question of nuclear testing could become a central test of global security and diplomacy in the coming year.