Vladimir Putin (AP image)
President Vladimir Putin has not ordered a nuclear test and Russia remains committed to the moratorium on testing this weapon of mass destruction, Moscow reiterated on Sunday, days after US President Donald Trump’s statement on nuclear weapons’ tests.”Putin has repeatedly said that Russia adheres to its obligations under the nuclear tests ban and we are not going to carry them out, but if another country does, we will have to do so to observe parity,” the Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian TV. “However, if Washington indeed carries out nuclear weapons tests, Russia will have to reciprocate. Nuclear parity is precisely the most important component, probably for the entire global security architecture these days,” Peskov underscored.US President Donald Trump has said in a Truth Social post on October 29 that he has “instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis.” “The United States has more Nuclear Weapons than any other country. This was accomplished, including a complete update and renovation of existing weapons, during my First Term in office. Because of the tremendous destructive power, I HATED to do it, but had no choice! Russia is second, and China is a distant third, but will be even within 5 years,” Trump said. Meanwhile, commenting on President Putin’s proposal to the US to continue to observe a quantitative freeze on strategic weapons when START-III expires in February next, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, in an interview published by RIA Novosti on Sunday, said Moscow was waiting for a response from Washington.”The constructive initiative put forward by Russian President Vladimir Putin in the post-New START sphere speaks for itself. It is free of any hidden agenda and is extremely easy to understand. Its practical implementation will not require any specific additional efforts. Therefore, we see no need for an in-depth discussion of our idea,” Lavrov said.He stated that so far, there has been no substantive response from Washington. “We are told through diplomatic channels that the matter is being considered. We are not trying to persuade anyone. We believe our move is in the interests of both sides and the entire international community. We are prepared for any development. However, we hope the outcome will be positive,” Lavrov said.The United States and Russia concluded the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) in 2010. New START entered into force in 2011, and by February 2018, each side was required to reduce its strategic forces to no more than 1,550 deployed warheads on no more than 700 deployed strategic missiles and bombers. It was extended for five years in 2018, but due to the Ukraine war and sanctions, verification could not be made. Both sides agreed to observe the agreed limits on their arms for one more year voluntarily. Putin, in September, offered to extend the voluntary moratorium for 1 more year beginning February 2025.In the past weeks, Russia has carried out tests of nuclear-powered “Burevestnik” cruise missile and “Poseidon” underwater drone with unlimited range, causing concern in Washington. The US carried out a test of its deadly Minuteman III ICBMs, without a nuclear payload. Russian defence commentator Mikhail Khodoryonk underscored that the Burevestnik cruise missile with a nuclear engine and nuclear-powered Poseidon are weapon platforms and their test is not a ‘nuclear test’.Moscow last carried out nuclear tests in 1990, and Washington in 1992. Since then, they have been observing the moratorium on ‘hot’ nuclear tests.
