Is Russia Ready To Resume Nuclear Testing?

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his state-of-the-nation address to the Russian Federal Assembly on February 21, 2023. (Photo: Maxim Blinov, RIA Novosti via Kremlin.ru) 

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: Russia suspends New START and is ready to resume nuclear testing 

On Tuesday, in his long-delayed state-of-the-nation address, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Moscow would suspend its participation in the New START nuclear arms treaty, but not withdraw from it. Putin added that Russia stands ready to resume nuclear weapons tests if the United States does. 

The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty is the only bilateral nuclear arms control agreement between the United States and Russia, which possess the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals and more than 90 percent of its nuclear warheads. 

Since 2010, New START has limited the United States and Russia to 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear warheads and 700 delivery vehicles each. In addition, the treaty allows each party to conduct 18 on-site inspections every year. New START is set to expire in February 2026—three years from now.  

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Update: Putin orders army to prepare for nuclear tests, saying US is creating new weapons (Ukrainska Pravda)  

WNU Editor: I currently see no evidence that Russia is about to conduct nuclear tests. But the message from Russian President Putin was blunt yesterday. If the Kremlin believes the US is about to test nuclear weapons, Russia will respond.