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Tensions Rise as Russia Warns of Retaliation if US Resumes Nuclear Tests

By Vusala Abbasova October 6, 2024

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Although Russia pulled back from ratifying the CTBT, Ryabkov clarified that this does not mean Russia is abandoning the treaty entirely. / AP

Tensions between the United States and Russia are escalating once again, as Moscow warns it will swiftly respond if the U.S. moves towards resuming nuclear testing. 

"If processes begin, which will mean that the US is looking in the direction of resuming nuclear tests, we will take action,” TASS quoted Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Ryabkov as saying on Saturday. “Russia will immediately respond in kind."

Ryabkov explained that Russia’s decision to withdraw its ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) in November 2023 was driven by frustration. He stated that after waiting 23 years for the treaty to be ratified globally, Russia had finally “run out of patience.”

"We had waited 23 years. That was the end of the story. What will happen next is an open question. The answer fully depends on what policy the US and its allies will pursue," he said.

Although Russia pulled back from ratifying the CTBT, Ryabkov clarified that this does not mean Russia is abandoning the treaty entirely.

“We continue to act in accordance with its spirit and letter,” he reassured.

President Putin recently announced plans to update Russia’s nuclear weapons doctrine. The proposed revisions would allow Moscow to treat any attack by a non-nuclear country, if supported by a nuclear power, as a joint attack from both. This shift signals a potential change in how Russia might respond to external threats in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.

The Kremlin framed this change as a warning to Western countries, especially regarding their involvement in the conflict. Russia cautioned that such involvement – whether or not nuclear weapons are used – could have serious consequences.

The European Union has sharply criticized Putin’s updated nuclear policy, especially the possibility of Russia responding with nuclear force to a massive air attack. Western nations view these revisions as a direct threat, further complicating an already tense geopolitical situation.

Ryabkov defended the changes, stating that Russia had been forced to adapt its nuclear doctrine because of the increasingly strained international climate. He blamed the West for putting Russia in a position where updating its nuclear policies became necessary.

Russia possesses the world’s largest stockpile of nuclear weapons, with an estimated 6,257 warheads. 

Since launching what he calls a “special military operation” in Ukraine, Putin has repeatedly hinted at the possibility of using nuclear weapons. Early in the invasion, he warned that any interference from the West would result in “consequences they have never seen.” Shortly after the offensive began on February 24, 2022, Putin ordered Russia’s nuclear deterrence forces to be put on high alert, raising global concerns about potential nuclear escalation. 

The United States, which holds the world’s second-largest nuclear arsenal, condemned Putin’s nuclear threats. American officials labeled his warnings as “totally unacceptable” and emphasized that such rhetoric only serves to heighten global tensions.