Kremlin stresses Russia is not preparing for nuclear tests

According to TASS on November 6, Russian President's press secretary Dmitry Peskov answered TASS's question about whether the Kremlin agreed with the view that the world is now further away from nuclear war than during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Mr. Peskov said that it is important to understand Russia's intention, not to start preparing for nuclear tests right now, but instead to assess whether it is necessary.

"President Vladimir Putin reiterated that Russia remains committed to fulfilling all its obligations under the comprehensive nuclear test ban. And we remain committed to it. However, taking into account everything that was said at the session of the Russian Security Council, President Putin instructed that the feasibility of starting such preparations should be examined. This means that Russia is not starting preparations for nuclear tests immediately. First, we are trying to determine whether we need to start such preparations, based on what we are hearing from the United States. It is important to understand this and understand the intentions of the Russian Federation," the Kremlin spokesman stressed.

Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov said on November 5 that the United States conducted exercises in October to practice preemptive nuclear strikes against Russia.

"Washington regularly conducts strategic offensive exercises. The most recent exercise, Global Tender 2025, which I would like to emphasize focused on preemptive nuclear missile strikes on Russian territory, took place in October this year," Minister Belousov said at a meeting of the Russian Security Council chaired by President Putin.

The Russian Defense Minister noted that the actions of the United States clearly show that they are actively building strategic offensive weapons. Mr. Belousov believes that Washington's possible abandonment of the moratorium on nuclear tests could be a step that undermines the system of global strategic stability.