Kremlin Says It Doesn't Know Anyone Testing Nuclear Weapons

Dmitry Peskov. (Sergey Fadeichev / TASS)

JAKARTA - The Kremlin reacted cautiously to President Donald Trump's statement regarding the continued nuclear weapons tests by the United States, saying Russia had not tested nuclear weapons, but was ready to do so if Washington did so first.

President Trump on Thursday announced he had ordered the War Department (formerly Department of Defense) to continue testing nuclear weapons after a 33-year hiatus, in posts on social media.

President Trump said that due to the "trial program of other countries", the United States would start testing "on the same footing".

"President Trump said in his statement that other countries were involved in nuclear weapons testing. Until now, we didn't know anyone was testing (nuclear weapons)," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Peskov further stressed that Russia's Burevestnik cruise missile test on October 21 and the Poseidon nuclear-powered supertorpedo on October 28 was clearly not a nuclear weapons test.

Russia, he said, had not received an earlier notification from the United States of the change in Washington's position regarding nuclear tests.

When asked if the Kremlin felt the new nuclear arms race had been triggered by Trump's statement, Peskov said: "Not really."

President Vladimir Putin himself has repeatedly said, if any country tests nuclear weapons, then Russia will also do so.

"I want to recall President Putin's statement, which has been repeated many times: if someone violates the moratorium, Russia will act accordingly," Peskov said.

As previously reported, President Trump made an announcement regarding the continued nuclear weapons tests in a post on Truth Social, ahead of meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea.

"Since other countries are testing the program, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our nuclear weapons equally. That process will begin soon," wrote President Trump.

Then, on his way back to Washington President Trump said trials were needed to ensure the US could offset rival nuclear powers.

"With other countries conducting trials, I think it is appropriate for us to do so as well," said President Trump in Air Force One, adding that the location of the nuclear test would be determined later.

When asked if the world entered a more risky phase of nuclear weapons, President Trump dismissed the threat, saying US shares were "closed properly" before adding he would welcome denuclearization.

"I want to see denuclearization because we have so many countries, and Russia is in second place, China is in third place, and China will follow in four or five years," he said.

"We are actually talking to Russia about it and China will join forces if we do something," he said.

Russia post-Soviet has never tested nuclear weapons. The Soviet Union last tested in 1990, while the United States last tested in 1992 and China in 1996.

Russia has 5,580 nuclear warheads, followed by the US with 5,225 nuclear warheads, according to Washington-based Arms Control Association, a nonpartisan group that advocates for a nuclear non-proliferation agreement.

On the other hand, the Pentagon estimates China will have more than 1,000 nuclear weapons by 2030.