russian deputy foreign minister sergei ryabkov said that russia does not rule out the possibility of resuming nuclear tests “in response to similar actions by the United States”. He also emphasized that the infrastructure for nuclear tests at the Novaya Zemlya test site is fully operational.

◽️ The russian diplomat clarified that by “similar actions” he meant U.S. nuclear tests, but this statement was made in the context of a discussion about russia’s  response to potential strikes by Western long-range weapons on russian territory.

◽️ moscow, which routinely threatens the world with its nuclear arsenal, is attempting to manipulate public opinion and justify this latest act of nuclear blackmail by framing it as a “retaliatory action”.

By signaling its readiness for nuclear escalation, moscow aims to project strength and intimidate Ukraine’s Western partners into hesitating to allow Kyiv to strike russian territory. This comes amid reports of a possible explosion of the Sarmat intercontinental missile during testing.