Overview
- Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Putin’s November 5 directive has been accepted for implementation and proposals are being prepared.
- Lavrov added that Russia has received no explanation of what the U.S. intends to test, citing uncertainty between subcritical activities, delivery-system trials, or explosive detonations.
- Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova warned that a U.S. return to explosive testing would prompt reciprocal steps from other states and urged Washington to clarify its position.
- A former chief of Russia’s 12th Main Directorate said the Novaya Zemlya range has been kept ready to resume tests if ordered, noting U.S. preparations at Nevada would be detectable.
- The United States has observed a moratorium on explosive testing since 1992, and experts caution that any major-power detonation could erode the test-ban norm and fuel an arms race.