Russia is awaiting an explanation from the United States following President Donald Trump's comments about resuming nuclear testing. At the end of October, Trump announced that he would test nuclear weapons, arguing that the US should not fall behind Russia and China.

“We all need clarification from the American side, as neither Russia nor China has resumed any nuclear testing,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told RT television in comments quoted by the TASS news agency.

He emphasized that both Russia and China remain committed to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and that Russia has no information about new tests. President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated in the past that Russia will respond accordingly if another country resumes testing.

When asked whether the tests would also involve underground explosions, Trump refused to answer. However, Energy Secretary Chris Wright clarified that the current tests are merely systemic in nature—without explosions—and are intended to verify the functionality of the nuclear arsenal.

Post-Soviet Russia has never tested a nuclear weapon. The Soviet Union conducted its last test in 1990, the United States in 1992, and China in 1996.

(reuters, max)