Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday (November 5) ordered his top officials to draft proposals on possible nuclear weapons testing after U.S. President Donald Trump said last week that the U.S. would resume such tests.

Putin said that Russia had always strictly adhered to its obligations under the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty but that if the United States or any nuclear power tested such a weapon, then Russia would do so too.

Defense Minister Andrei Belousov told Putin that recent remarks and actions by the United States meant that it was "advisable to prepare for full-scale nuclear tests" immediately.

Belousov said Russia's Arctic testing site at Novaya Zemlya could host such tests at short notice.

"I am instructing the Foreign Ministry, the Defence Ministry... the special services and relevant civilian agencies to do everything possible to collect additional information on the issue, analyze it at the Security Council and make agreed proposals on the possible start of work on the preparation of nuclear weapons tests," Putin said.

The United States last tested in 1992, China and France in 1996 and the Soviet Union in 1990. Post-Soviet Russia, which inherited the Soviet nuclear arsenal, has never done so.

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Putin orders proposals on resumption of nuclear testing

VIDEO SHOWS: PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN CHAIRING MEETING OF RUSSIA'S SECURITY COUNCIL / RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTER BELOUSOV, CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF GERASIMOV SAYING U.S. GETTING READY FOR NUCLEAR ARMS TESTS, RUSSIA MUST ACT ACCORDINGLY / PUTIN SAYING RUSSIA NEEDS TO PROTECT ITS SECURITY, SAYING RUSSIA NEEDS TO GATHER MORE INFORMATION AND HE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR PROPOSALS ON RESUMING NUCLEAR TESTS

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: PART AUDIO AS INCOMING

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (NOVEMBER 5, 2025) (RUSSIAN POOL - Access all)

1. RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN CHAIRING MEETING OF RUSSIA'S SECURITY COUNCIL

2. PUTIN SPEAKING

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) STATE DUMA CHAIRMAN, VYACHESLAV VOLODIN, SAYING (AUDIO AS INCOMING):

"Trump recently literally declared that the U.S. is resuming nuclear weapons testing. Members of parliament are asking questions and are generally concerned about the situation, because it's clear where this could lead the world as a whole. Therefore, based on what you said two years ago, if the U.S. resumes nuclear weapons testing, Russia has every right to do the same."

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING:

"Yes, indeed, this is a serious matter. Let's listen to our colleagues. The floor goes to the Minister of Defence."

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTER, ANDREI BELOUSOV, SAYING:

"These actions clearly demonstrate Washington's active buildup of strategic offensive weapons. First, the White House has consistently withdrawn from the long-standing series of arms reduction treaties."

6. PUTIN SPEAKING

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIA'S CHIEF OF THE GENERAL STAFF, VALERY GERASIMOV, SAYING:

"The fact that the American side has not provided an official explanation for President Trump's statement regarding the resumption of nuclear testing does not provide grounds to believe that the United States will not begin preparations for, and then conduct, nuclear tests in the near future. The American side may continue to evade official explanations, but it changes nothing, because if we do not take appropriate measures now, we will miss the opportunity and time to respond effectively to the U.S. actions."

8. BELOUSOV SPEAKING

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING:

"Russia has always strictly adhered to its obligations under Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, and we have no plans to withdraw from them. At the same time, as I stated in my address to the Federal Assembly in 2023, should the United States or other treaty signatories conduct such tests, Russia would be compelled to take appropriate reciprocal measures."

10. WHITE FLASH

11. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING:

"I am instructing the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Defence, the special services, and the relevant civilian agencies to do everything necessary to collect additional information on this issue, analyse it within the framework of the Security Council, and make agreed proposals on the possible start of work on the preparations for nuclear weapons testing."