Russia moved on Thursday to calm growing global concerns after reports of recent weapons testing prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to order new American nuclear tests. Moscow clarified that its latest trials involving the Burevestnik cruise missile and Poseidon underwater drone did not constitute actual nuclear weapon tests. Both systems are capable of carrying atomic warheads, but the Kremlin stressed they were not part of any live nuclear detonation.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized that the testing of these advanced weapons was strictly conventional and should not be misinterpreted as a breach of global nuclear testing norms. He added that Russia still observes the long-standing moratorium on nuclear explosions, even though it frequently conducts drills with nuclear-capable delivery systems. “This cannot in any way be interpreted as a nuclear test,” Peskov told reporters, underscoring Russia’s commitment to maintaining international stability.
Tensions rose sharply after Trump announced that the United States would resume nuclear weapons testing “on an equal basis” with other states. The move came shortly after Moscow’s weapons demonstration, which Washington viewed as provocative. However, it remains unclear whether Trump was referring to live nuclear detonations or tests of delivery systems capable of carrying atomic warheads. The U.S. has not conducted a live nuclear test since 1992, maintaining a self-imposed moratorium for over three decades.
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Responding to Trump’s announcement, the Kremlin warned that Russia would mirror any American departure from the existing moratorium. “If someone departs from the moratorium, Russia will act accordingly,” Peskov said. President Vladimir Putin has previously stated that if the United States resumes nuclear testing, Russia would follow suit. The warning signals the fragile state of nuclear arms control at a time when both countries already possess over 90 percent of the world’s nuclear weapons.
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The two nations had signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) in 1996, which prohibits all atomic test explosions. However, neither Washington nor Moscow has ratified it, leaving room for strategic maneuvering amid rising geopolitical tensions. Putin recently boasted that Russia’s new nuclear-powered systems could reach any continent and evade existing defense mechanisms. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Russia and the United States together control nearly 11,000 nuclear warheads, underscoring the potentially grave consequences if the nuclear arms race reignites.