Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, has stated that it will resume nuclear weapons testing if similar steps are taken by the United States.
Ryabkov made the comments while granting an interview to state-backed RT television network, though there are no indications the U.S. is planning new nuclear weapons tests, according Russia's TASS news agency .
The remarks came against the backdrop of renewed nuclear threats from senior Russian officials as the Kremlin sought to discourage Western military support for Ukraine.
Speaking at Russia's Security Council on September 25, President Vladimir Putin hinted Moscow could respond with nuclear weapons to what it described as a "joint attack" from a non-nuclear-armed country backed by an ally with nuclear capability.
Speaking to RT, Ryabkov said that if Washington conducts new nuclear weapons tests "we will not hesitate" to respond in kind. Ryabkov was repeating a warning he made to Russian news agencies in September when he said Moscow would not initiate fresh nuclear tests unless the U.S. made the first move.
In his September remarks, Ryabkov insisted "nothing has changed" in Russia's nuclear doctrine, adding: "As defined and formulated by the president of the Russian Federation, we can conduct such tests, but we will not conduct them if the United States refrains from such steps."
The U.S. has not conducted any nuclear weapons tests since 1992 and there are no indications it plans to do so. Both Washington and Moscow signed, but did not ratify, the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty which prohibits any nuclear weapon detonations for testing purposes.
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