Why Russia Says Its Missile Tests Are Not Nuclear After Trump Orders U.S Nuclear Test

Moscow on Thursday sought to calm rising nuclear tensions with Washington after U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to resume nuclear testing, following reports of Russia’s trials of two nuclear-capable systems — the Burevestnik cruise missile and the Poseidon underwater drone.

The Kremlin swiftly responded, emphasizing that these were not nuclear weapon tests and warning that if the U.S. were to break the current moratorium on nuclear explosions, Russia would act accordingly.

Russia’s Clarification: No Nuclear Detonation Tests Conducted

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov addressed journalists, clarifying that Russia’s recent tests did not involve any nuclear detonations or live warheads.

“Regarding the tests of Poseidon and Burevestnik, we hope that the information was conveyed correctly to President Trump,” Peskov said. “This cannot in any way be interpreted as a nuclear test.”

Russia’s tests, he explained, were limited to delivery system trials — that is, testing the engines, propulsion, guidance, and endurance of platforms designed to carry nuclear or conventional payloads. Both Moscow and Washington have adhered to a de facto moratorium on nuclear explosions since the early 1990s, even though they continue to upgrade and test systems that could carry nuclear weapons.

The United States last conducted an actual nuclear explosion in 1992, while Russia’s tests since then have been subcritical, meaning they do not produce a nuclear chain reaction.

Trump’s Statement Triggers Alarm

Trump’s announcement on social media — “Because of other countries’ testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis” — raised global alarm. The ambiguity of his wording led to confusion over whether he referred to testing delivery systems or testing nuclear warheads themselves.

The Kremlin viewed this as a potentially dangerous misunderstanding that could reignite a global arms race. By issuing a clarification immediately, Moscow sought to prevent a cycle of retaliation and to ensure that its tests were not misrepresented as a breach of nuclear testing norms.

Why Russia Responded After the U.S. Test Order

Russia’s strong response came directly after Trump’s order because Moscow interpreted it as a possible step toward resuming live nuclear detonations — something that would shatter the decades-long moratorium and undermine global arms control stability.

For Moscow, Trump’s statement wasn’t just rhetoric — it symbolized a shift in U.S. nuclear posture, suggesting that Washington might abandon long-standing agreements like the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).

By responding immediately, Russia wanted to:

1. Clarify its own position — to make sure its tests were not misinterpreted as a nuclear provocation.

2. Deter the U.S. — by warning that any American move to resume nuclear detonations would be matched by a reciprocal Russian test.

3. Reassert strategic balance — Moscow’s doctrine insists that it will never allow Washington to gain unilateral nuclear or technological advantage.

4. Protect its global image — as a responsible nuclear power still operating within the boundaries of international law and arms control norms.

In simple terms, Russia’s statement was both a warning and a reassurance: reassurance that it had not conducted any nuclear blasts, and warning that it would not hesitate to respond in kind if the U.S. broke the existing restraint.

Putin’s Consistent Message on Deterrence

President Vladimir Putin has long maintained that Russia’s strategic parity with the United States is non-negotiable. He has repeatedly said that if the U.S. resumes nuclear testing, Russia will be forced to follow suit to maintain equilibrium.

Putin’s unveiling of the Poseidon and Burevestnik was part of his broader campaign to showcase Russia’s technological edge in nuclear deterrence.

• The Poseidon is a nuclear-powered underwater drone capable of carrying either conventional or nuclear warheads, designed to strike coastal targets and naval assets with devastating effect.

• The Burevestnik, dubbed “Skyfall” by NATO, is a nuclear-powered cruise missile theoretically capable of unlimited range, allowing it to evade U.S. missile defense systems.

These systems symbolize Moscow’s pursuit of strategic invulnerability rather than its intent to resume nuclear detonations.

The Broader Strategic Context

Both nations signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) in 1996, which bans all nuclear test explosions. However, neither has ratified it, leaving the treaty in a fragile state. The U.S. withdrawal from other key arms control pacts — such as the INF Treaty in 2019 — has further eroded trust.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Russia and the U.S. together possess about 11,000 nuclear warheads, accounting for 90 percent of the global total. Any resumption of live nuclear testing by either side could destabilize the entire global non-proliferation framework and trigger new arms races involving China, North Korea, and others.

Russia’s reaction following Trump’s nuclear test order was not coincidental — it was strategic and calculated. Moscow wanted to correct any misinterpretation of its weapons trials while also drawing a red line: if the United States breaks the testing moratorium, Russia will immediately follow.

In essence, the Kremlin’s message was a mix of diplomatic restraint and nuclear warning — a reminder that while Moscow seeks to avoid confrontation, it will never allow its deterrence credibility to be questioned.

As both powers modernize their arsenals and exchange rhetorical fire, the world once again stands on edge, watching to see if decades of nuclear restraint will hold — or if a new era of atomic brinkmanship is about to begin.