Russian defense minister claims that US 'rehearsing a nuclear strike' on Russia
Photo: Andrey Belousov, Russian Defense Minister (Russian media)
Moscow believes that the United States allegedly practiced a nuclear missile strike on Russian territory during recent exercises, Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov made this statement during a meeting of the permanent members of Russia’s Security Council.
Belousov said that the US regularly conducts exercises of its strategic offensive forces.
"The most recent such exercise, Global Thunder 2025, included, I want to emphasize, the rehearsal of a preemptive nuclear missile strike on Russian territory. It took place in October of this year," the minister claimed.
According to him, such exercises are part of a broader set of measures that allegedly include potential US plans to conduct nuclear tests — something he said significantly increases the level of danger for Russia.
Russia may resume nuclear tests
During a meeting of the permanent members of Russia’s Security Council, Belousov also proposed that Putin begin immediate preparations for conducting "full-scale nuclear tests."
For his part, the Kremlin leader instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, and other agencies to study the issue and prepare relevant proposals.
Putin added that if the US or other countries that are parties to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty begin testing their nuclear weapons, Russia "must provide an adequate response."
Notably, on October 30, US President Donald Trump announced that he had ordered the resumption of nuclear tests, claiming that other countries were already conducting them. He reportedly gave the order just a few hours before his meeting in South Korea with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
