Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered senior military and defence officials to study the feasibility of conducting nuclear tests in response to remarks by US President Donald Trump that Washington would resume testing. "If other countries are conducting such tests, then Russia must respond to that," Putin said during a meeting of Russia's Security Council. He stated that Russia has "always and strictly adhered to its obligations under the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and will continue to do so," but added: "We will take appropriate measures if America and other member states of the Non-Proliferation Treaty conduct any nuclear tests." The Kremlin later clarified that Putin had not ordered preparations for nuclear tests, but rather a feasibility study, and had not set a specific timeframe. "I would like to emphasise that the president did not order preparations for a nuclear test… he ordered a review of the advisability of starting preparations for such tests," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the TASS news agency. He said the study would proceed "as much as is necessary to clearly understand American intentions." Calls for immediate preparation During the meeting, Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov called for immediate preparations to conduct full-scale nuclear tests. He stressed that the possibility of the US conducting tests made it necessary to keep Russia's nuclear forces in a state of constant readiness. Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov said that preparing for such tests could take from several months to several years. He warned that "failure to take appropriate measures now could cost Russia time and the ability to respond to the United States." The discussion in Moscow follows comments from President Trump last week, in which he said he had directed the Defence Department to begin nuclear weapons tests "on par" with other countries' testing programmes. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Sunday that he did not expect those tests to include actual warhead detonations at this time. "It looks like they are all doing nuclear tests," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, referring to Russia and China. "We have more nuclear weapons than any other country. We don't test… but since others are testing, I think it's appropriate that we do too." Trump did not provide details on when or where US tests might take place, saying only: "We have test sites, and they will be announced." According to an August report from the US Congressional Research Service (CRS), it would take 24 to 36 months for the United States to be able to conduct a nuclear test after a presidential order is issued. None of the three major nuclear powers—Russia, the United States, and China—have conducted a nuclear test since 1996, the year of China's last test. Russia's last nuclear test was in 1990, and the United States' was in 1992. However, major nuclear powers have continued to develop and test delivery systems for nuclear warheads. Just days ago, Russia announced it had successfully tested its Poseidon high-speed, nuclear-powered torpedo.
