Putin holds out possibility that Russia could resume nuclear testing

Russian President Vladimir Putin, on Thursday, raised the prospect of Russia potentially resuming nuclear testing, a move not undertaken in over thirty years. He also suggested the possibility of Russia withdrawing its ratification of a significant nuclear test ban treaty. Additionally, Putin confirmed the successful testing of a nuclear-powered and nuclear-capable cruise missile named the Burevestnik, which he has previously described as having unparalleled capabilities.

The Kremlin chief said there was no need to change Russia’s nuclear doctrine however, as any attack on Russia would provoke a split-second response with hundreds of nuclear missiles that no enemy could survive.

“Do we need to change this? And why? Everything can be changed but I just don’t see the need for it,” Putin said of the nuclear doctrine – the Kremlin policy setting out the circumstances when Russia might use its weapons

The existence of the Russian state was not under threat, he added. “I think no person of sound mind and clear memory would think of using nuclear weapons against Russia,” Putin told a meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

“I hear calls to start testing nuclear weapons, to return to testing,” Putin added, referring to suggestions from hardline political scientists and commentators who say such a move could send a powerful message to Moscow’s enemies in the West.

Also Read: रिज़र्व बैंक: लगातार चौथी बार नहीं बदलीं ब्याज दरें, रेपो रेट 6.5% पर बरकरार

Putin to do nuclear test

Putin pointed out that although the United States has signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty, it has not yet ratified it. In contrast, Russia has both signed and ratified the treaty.

“I am not ready to say whether we really need to conduct tests or not, but it is possible theoretically to behave in the same way as the United States,” Putin said.

“But this is a question for the deputies of the State Duma (lower house of parliament). Theoretically, it is possible to withdraw this ratification. That would be enough,” he said.

He was answering a question from hardline Russian political scientist Sergei Karaganov who wants a tougher nuclear stance. Karaganov asked if Putin should lower the nuclear threshold to sober up Russia’s “insolent” partners.

Inside Russia, some have called for Putin to detonate a nuclear bomb to show the West that Moscow’s patience over its support for Ukraine and apparent unwillingness to negotiate is wearing thin.

Most recently, Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of state-funded broadcaster RT, suggested that Russia should detonate a nuclear bomb over Siberia.

A Historical Perspective on Nuclear Testing

In the five decades between 1945 and the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, more than 2,000 nuclear tests were carried out, 1,032 of them by the United States and 715 of them by the Soviet Union, according to the United Nations.

The Soviet Union last tested in 1990. The United States last in 1992.

A resumption in nuclear tests by Russia, the United States or both would be profoundly destabilising at a time when tensions between the two countries are greater than at any time since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

In February, Putin announced the suspension of Russia’s involvement in the New START treaty, an agreement that places restrictions on the quantity of nuclear weapons that both parties can deploy.

Putin revealed on Thursday that Russia was nearing completion of its next-generation Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missiles, which have the capability to carry ten or more nuclear warheads.

Furthermore, he stated that Russia had conducted successful tests of the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile, although he did not specify the timing of these tests.

Also Read: Goregaon: 7 killed, 40 injured as fire breaks out in residential building