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Russia has threatened to resume nuclear missile tests if the United States does the same, said Sergei Ryabkov, Russia’s deputy foreign minister.
According to the Russian news agency TASS, the politician made the comment during an interview on national television, while Washington has never mentioned a return to nuclear testing.
In recent weeks, many senior Russian officials have raised nuclear threats as the conflict in Ukraine drags on and tens of thousands of soldiers have died on both sides in more than two years.
Sergei Ryabkov said that Russia will not hesitate to respond to any form of Western provocation.
Regarding the Russian nuclear doctrine, he added: “As defined and formulated by the President of the Russian Federation, we can conduct such tests, but we will not do so if the United States refrains from taking such steps.”
The United States has not tested nuclear weapons since 1992. Both countries signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty in 1996, but neither country has ratified it.
Russia has moved part of its nuclear warheads to Belarus.
