MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed the Foreign Ministry, Defense Ministry, intelligence agencies, and civilian agenc...
MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed the Foreign Ministry, Defense Ministry, intelligence agencies, and civilian agencies to submit proposals on the possibility of preparing for nuclear weapons tests.
Russia warned that if other countries conduct nuclear tests, it would be forced to take retaliatory action, he stated during a meeting with the Russian Security Council.
Defense Minister Andrey Belousov presented a detailed report on the situation and the US nuclear modernization.
TASS has compiled the gist of what was said at the meeting.
Trump's statements and US actions
State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin suggested discussing US President Donald Trump's statements about plans for resuming nuclear testing. Putin supported the initiative. Defense Minister Andrey Belousov presented a detailed report on the current situation and the modernization of the US nuclear forces. According to Belousov, the US is actively increasing its strategic offensive arms potential and consistently withdrawing from strategic stability treaties.
He also noted that Washington is working on developing the Columbia strategic submarine and recommissioning 56 mothballed launchers on 14 submarines. Belousov reported that the US is also working on developing a new intercontinental ballistic missile with a nuclear warhead and a range of 13,000 km.
The US Golden Dome program envisions both the interception and pre-launch destruction of Russian and Chinese missiles, Belousov recalled. He noted that Washington regularly conducts strategic nuclear exercises.
As follows from an analysis of conflicting statements from US officials, US plans for a possible resumption of nuclear testing are not entirely clear, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu has said. Russian diplomats have contacted the American side for clarification regarding Trump's instructions to the Pentagon to begin nuclear weapons testing, said Sergey Naryshkin, the director of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR).
Federal Security Service (FSB) Director Alexander Bortnikov asked Putin for time to prepare proposals regarding Trump's announced nuclear tests.
On preparations for nuclear tests
Belousov said it was expedient to immediately begin preparations for full-scale nuclear tests. Russia must maintain its nuclear potential and respond appropriately to Washington's actions, he added.
Nuclear tests will take several months to several years to prepare, said Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces. An analysis of statements by high-ranking US officials indicates that Washington is committed to preparing and conducting nuclear tests, he noted.
Putin instructed the Foreign Ministry, Defense Ministry, intelligence agencies, and civilian agencies to submit proposals on the feasibility of preparing for nuclear weapons tests. He noted that Russia had warned that it would take retaliatory action if other countries conducted nuclear tests.
Russia has always strictly adhered to its obligations under the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and will continue to do so as long as all other countries refrain from such tests, Putin emphasized.
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