In a calculated pivot, Putin’s spokesman denies any new tests are being prepared, while simultaneously boasting of "unmatched" doomsday weapons.
CaliToday (09/11/2025): In a notable shift in rhetoric, the Kremlin has publicly stepped back from the escalating nuclear saber-rattling that has defined much of its recent posturing. The move appears calculated to ease international fears of an imminent test, even as it was paired with stark reminders of Russia's strategic arsenal.
The comments came from Dmitry Peskov, President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, who directly addressed mounting accusations from the United States that Russia and China were conducting illicit nuclear experiments.
"Neither Russia nor China is conducting nuclear weapons tests," Peskov stated firmly. He emphasized that President Putin has not issued any directives to prepare for such tests, adding that the "feasibility" of any such action would need to be thoroughly assessed first.
This statement of denial is being interpreted as a deliberate de-escalation, aimed at countering Western claims and possibly avoiding a retaliatory cycle of escalation.
The Treaty, The Accusation, and The Denial
At the heart of the dispute are claims originating from President Donald Trump. In a recent CBS interview, Trump alleged that Russia, China, and Pakistan were all conducting secret, underground nuclear explosions, violating international norms.
This accusation was publicly corroborated by John Ratcliffe, the former Director of the CIA. Ratcliffe claimed the agency possessed intelligence indicating that Moscow and Beijing had conducted "super-critical" tests—small nuclear-yield experiments that exceed the "zero yield" threshold permissible under the spirit of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).
Peskov directly countered this narrative. He affirmed Russia's continued commitment to the treaty, but offered a sharp, conditional warning: "In the event that other countries violate [the treaty], Moscow will ensure balance."
The Kremlin spokesman added that Moscow is now formally "awaiting explanations" from the United States regarding Trump's statements, effectively flipping the diplomatic script to portray Washington as the source of the nuclear ambiguity.
The Pivot: A Calculated Boast
Despite tempering his language on nuclear testing, Peskov did not miss the opportunity to engage in strategic posturing.
When asked about Russia's next-generation strategic weapons, his tone shifted from defensive denial to assertive pride. He specifically highlighted the "Burevestnik" (a nuclear-powered, nuclear-armed cruise missile, known to NATO as Skyfall) and the "Poseidon" (a massive, nuclear-powered underwater drone capable of delivering a multi-megaton warhead).
Peskov referred to them as "breakthrough technologies that no one else in the world possesses."
This rhetorical pivot is a classic Kremlin maneuver: de-escalate on one front (denying treaty-violating tests) while simultaneously reminding the world of its "invincible" capabilities that exist outside the scope of traditional arms control.
For critics and hardliners, this dual message may be exactly the point. While the explicit threat of a new test is walked back perhaps fearing a unified and harsh international response the underlying deterrent message remains. The "doping" for nationalist pride is simply shifted from the act of testing to the existence of weapons that are already deployable and, in the Kremlin's view, unchallengeable.