The commander of Russia’s nuclear testing site on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago stated that the facility is prepared to resume nuclear tests “at any moment” if ordered by Moscow, Reuters reports.
Russia has not conducted nuclear tests since 1990, a year before the dissolution of the Soviet Union. However, some Western and Russian analysts believe that President Vladimir Putin may consider ordering a nuclear test as a deterrent signal to the West, especially if Ukraine is permitted to use long-range missiles to strike Russian territory.
A Russian nuclear test could prompt other nations, such as China or the United States, to follow suit, potentially igniting a new nuclear arms race. Many major powers halted testing after the Soviet Union’s collapse, but a Russian test could shift this dynamic.
The Novaya Zemlya testing site, located in the Arctic Ocean, was the location of over 200 nuclear tests during the Soviet era, including the detonation of the most powerful nuclear bomb in history in 1961. Western reconnaissance satellites have been closely monitoring the site due to recent construction activity.
Rear Admiral Andrei Sinitsyn, commander of the site, told Rossiyskaya Gazeta that the testing facility is “fully prepared for the resumption of testing.” He added, “The laboratories, base, and personnel are ready. If an order is given, we can begin testing at any moment.”
In November 2023, President Putin signed a law withdrawing Russia from the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, aligning the country with the United States, which signed but never ratified the treaty. While Putin previously mentioned that Russia could conduct a nuclear test “if needed,” he currently sees no necessity for it.
