MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday instructed top officials to draft proposals for a possible nuclear weapons test, marking a move Russia has not undertaken since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Putin’s directive, announced during a televised Security Council meeting, comes in response to US President Donald Trump’s recent announcement that the United States would resume nuclear testing, raising concerns of escalating tensions between the world’s two largest nuclear powers.
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“I am instructing the Foreign Ministry, Defence Ministry, special services and relevant civilian agencies to collect additional information and make agreed proposals on the possible start of work on the preparation of nuclear weapons tests,” Putin said. Top officials, including Defence Minister Andrei Belousov and General Valery Gerasimov, emphasized the need to act swiftly, noting that preparations for nuclear tests could take months to years.
No country, aside from North Korea in 2017, has conducted explosive nuclear tests in the 21st century. Analysts warn that a resumption by Russia or the US could trigger a destabilizing action-reaction cycle in global geopolitics. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov clarified that no deadline had been set for drafting the proposals and said that Russia will act only after fully understanding US intentions.
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Russia has recently conducted tests of nuclear-capable delivery systems, including the Burevestnik cruise missile and the nuclear-powered Poseidon super-torpedo, though these do not involve nuclear explosions. Experts caution that resuming full-scale nuclear testing could have severe environmental consequences, echoing the legacy of Cold War-era tests.