Kremlin dismisses allegations of secret nuclear tests by Russia and China

WEB DESK: The Kremlin has firmly rejected allegations that Russia or China have conducted covert nuclear tests, insisting that neither country has engaged in such activity.

According to Reuters, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said claims circulating in Washington particularly those directed at Beijing were unfounded. “Neither the Russian Federation nor China has conducted any nuclear tests,” he stated, adding that Chinese officials had categorically denied the accusations.

The remarks come against the backdrop of renewed strains in global arms control, following the expiry of the New START treaty, the last major bilateral nuclear agreement between the United States and Russia. Washington has advocated for a broader framework that would incorporate China, while alleging that Beijing carried out a covert nuclear test in 2020 and may be preparing others with low to moderate yields.

Moscow, Beijing deny nuclear test allegations

Chinese authorities have consistently rejected the claims, reiterating their adherence to a moratorium on nuclear explosive testing. Although Beijing has signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), it has yet to ratify it. Russia, which has ratified the CTBT and maintains its own testing moratorium, has likewise dismissed previous US assertions regarding its compliance.

Mr Peskov’s remarks underline Moscow’s position that the allegations are without substance and echo Beijing’s rebuttals, presenting the matter as settled from their standpoint. The exchange highlights continuing frictions in nuclear diplomacy, with observers cautioning that the absence of new binding arrangements among major powers could pose risks to strategic stability.