Putin indicates Russia could return to nuclear testing

News Summary: 

• Putin suggests Russia may return to nuclear weapons testing and withdraw from the nuclear test ban treaty
• Concerns about nuclear weapons, energy, and the war in Ukraine discussed in Putin's speech
• Russia has tested a new nuclear-powered missile delivery system but hasn't decided on resuming explosives testing
• Putin emphasizes that using nuclear weapons against Russia would be irrational
• Announcement of the completion of the Burevestnik cruise missile and Sarmat heavy intercontinental ballistic missile development

Moscow [Russia]: Russian President Vladimir Putin while speaking at a meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club, suggested that Russia could return to nuclear weapons testing and might withdraw from the nuclear test ban treaty, reported Al Jazeera.

Putin on Thursday spoke about concerns regarding nuclear weapons, energy and the war in Ukraine.

Russian President said that it was "theoretically" possible for Russia to withdraw from the nuclear test ban treaty, pointing out that it generally prohibits the testing of nuclear weapons, but that no decision has been made yet, Al Jazeera reported.

He further highlighted that Russia has tested a new nuclear-powered missile delivery system but had not decided whether to resume explosives testing, Al Jazeera reported.

"I think no person of sound mind and clear memory would think of using nuclear weapons against Russia," Putin said in his speech at a foreign policy forum experts in Sochi.

"I hear calls to start testing nuclear weapons, to return to testing," he added. "I am not ready to say whether we really need to conduct tests or not."

He later announced that Russia has effectively completed the development of the Burevestnik cruise missile and the Sarmat heavy intercontinental ballistic missile. Moreover, he said that he would work on putting them into production.

"We conducted the last successful test of the Burevestnik nuclear-powered global-range cruise missile," he said. It was the first announcement of a successful test of the Burevestnik and is translated as "Storm Petrel.

(With ANI inputs)