Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that Russia would “act accordingly” if the United States resumes nuclear tests, following recent statements by U.S. officials and Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu announcing a review of the feasibility of nuclear tests.
Peskov was reacting to Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statement that the new U.S. nuclear testing command “includes delivery systems” after President Donald Trump on Oct. 29 directed the Pentagon to resume nuclear testing “immediately.”
Rubio did not explicitly confirm that a full-scale experiment was being considered.
“If we consider this to be a confirmation that the United States is withdrawing from the testing ban, it confirms this intention,” Peskov said, arguing that any testing would break the comprehensive testing ban. “As the president said, in this case Russia will act accordingly.”
He said President Vladimir Putin’s order on Nov. 5 was not to begin preparations for the test, but to gather information and “consider the advisability” of such preparations in light of the U.S. move.
MNA/