Russia weighs resuming nuclear tests amid strained U.S. ties, says Deputy FM Ryabkov. Putin recently eased nuclear doctrine, citing Western escalation in Ukraine. Last test was in 1990.
A possible resumption of nuclear weapons tests by Moscow remains an open question in view of hostile U.S. policies, a senior Russian diplomat was quoted as saying early on Saturday.
"This is a question at hand," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told TASS news agency when asked whether Moscow was considering a resumption of tests.
"And without anticipating anything, let me simply say that the situation is quite difficult. It is constantly being considered in all its components and in all its aspects."
In September, Ryabkov referred to President Vladimir Putin as having said that Russia would not conduct a test as long as the United States refrained from carrying one out.
Moscow has not conducted a nuclear weapons test since 1990, the year before the collapse of the Soviet Union.
But Putin this month lowered the threshold governing the country's nuclear doctrine in response to what Moscow sees as escalation by Western countries backing Ukraine in the 33-month-old war pitting it against Russia.
Under the new terms, Russia could consider a nuclear strike in response to a conventional attack on Russia or its ally Belarus that "created a critical threat to their sovereignty and (or) their territorial integrity".
The changes were prompted by U.S. permission to allow Ukraine to use Western missiles against targets inside Russia.
Russia's testing site is located on the remote Novaya Zemlya archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, where the Soviet Union conducted more than 200 nuclear tests.
Putin signed a law last year withdrawing Russia's ratification of the global treaty banning nuclear weapons tests. He said the move sought to bring Russia into line with the United States, which signed but never ratified the treaty.
As global tensions rise, Kazakhstan's leadership navigates a delicate geopolitical balance between Russia, China, and the West, aiming to turn its strategic location into a platform for cooperation, reform, and innovation.
At least two people, including a 9-year-old girl, were killed in Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, as questions remain over Kyiv’s participation in upcoming peace talks proposed by Moscow.
Pakistan has announced it will appoint an ambassador to Afghanistan for the first time since the Taliban took control of Kabul in 2021, becoming the fourth country—after China, the United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan—to do so.
Ukraine is holding off on confirming its participation in peace talks with Russia until it receives a formal proposal document outlining Moscow’s positions, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Friday.
Serbia and Russia will jointly examine allegations that Serbian-made weapons reached Ukraine, following claims by Russian officials and statements from President Aleksandar Vucic calling for a fact-finding effort.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held separate phone calls on Saturday with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to talk about bilateral ties as well as regional and global topics.
Ethiopia’s Health Ministry confirmed on Saturday the country’s first death linked to mpox, with five more cases still active. No new infections or recoveries were reported in the past 24 hours.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Indo-Pacific allies Saturday they won’t be left alone against growing military and economic pressure from China—but they must also boost their own defense efforts.
Iran said on Saturday that it has officially received a new nuclear deal proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump, delivered by Oman during a diplomatic visit to Tehran.
A confidential IAEA report reveals Iran conducted secret nuclear activities using undeclared material at several sites, raising serious non-compliance concerns.
On May 28, the inauguration ceremony of Lachin International Airport was held.
A car drove into crowds of Liverpool fans celebrating the club’s Premier League title in the city centre on Monday evening, injuring dozens including 4 children. A 53-year-old man believed to be the driver was arrested at the scene.
EU ministers have greenlit a massive €150 billion defense investment fund—dubbed the Security Action for Europe (SAFE)—as the bloc ramps up its military readiness in response to Russia’s aggression and growing uncertainty over U.S. security guarantees.
Brazil’s economy is expected to have regained momentum in the first quarter of 2025, driven by a surge in household spending and private investment, according to a Reuters poll of economists conducted from May 21–26.
An international academic conference titled "Islamophobia: Exposing Prejudice and Destroying Stigma" has officially opened in the capital of Azerbaijan, bringing together global scholars, experts, and policymakers to address the rise and consequences of anti-Muslim discrimination.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held separate phone calls on Saturday with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to talk about bilateral ties as well as regional and global topics.
Ethiopia’s Health Ministry confirmed on Saturday the country’s first death linked to mpox, with five more cases still active. No new infections or recoveries were reported in the past 24 hours.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Indo-Pacific allies Saturday they won’t be left alone against growing military and economic pressure from China—but they must also boost their own defense efforts.
A confidential IAEA report reveals Iran conducted secret nuclear activities using undeclared material at several sites, raising serious non-compliance concerns.
The US Supreme Court has ruled that the Trump administration can temporarily end legal protections for more than 500000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, exposing them to possible deportation.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held separate phone calls on Saturday with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to talk about bilateral ties as well as regional and global topics.
Ethiopia’s Health Ministry confirmed on Saturday the country’s first death linked to mpox, with five more cases still active. No new infections or recoveries were reported in the past 24 hours.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Indo-Pacific allies Saturday they won’t be left alone against growing military and economic pressure from China—but they must also boost their own defense efforts.
Iran said on Saturday that it has officially received a new nuclear deal proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump, delivered by Oman during a diplomatic visit to Tehran.
A confidential IAEA report reveals Iran conducted secret nuclear activities using undeclared material at several sites, raising serious non-compliance concerns.
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