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Kremlin says neither China nor Russia have carried out secret nuclear tests

February 18, 2026 4 min read International Relations Internal Security GS Paper 2 GS Paper 3
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What Happened

  • Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denied that either Russia or China had conducted any secret nuclear tests, rejecting recent US accusations.
  • The United States had accused China of conducting a secret nuclear explosive test in 2020, with Under Secretary of State for Arms Control Thomas DiNanno stating the US was aware China had "conducted nuclear explosive tests, including preparing for tests with designated yields in the hundreds of tons."
  • The US called for a new, broader arms control treaty that would include China alongside Russia, moving beyond the bilateral US-Russia framework.
  • Beijing categorically denied the US claims.
  • The statements came in the wake of the expiration of New START, the last remaining US-Russia nuclear arms control treaty, which lapsed on February 5, 2026.
  • For the first time in over half a century, there are no binding limits on the strategic nuclear arsenals of the US and Russia.

Static Topic Bridges

Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)

The CTBT, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1996, prohibits all nuclear explosive tests in any environment. Despite widespread support, the treaty has not entered into force.

  • As of 2026, 187 states have signed and 178 have ratified the CTBT.
  • Entry into force requires ratification by all 44 Annex II states (nuclear-capable countries). Of these, India, Pakistan, and North Korea have not signed; the US, China, Israel, Iran, and Egypt have signed but not ratified.
  • The CTBT Organisation (CTBTO) operates the International Monitoring System (IMS), a network of 337 facilities worldwide that detect nuclear explosions using seismic, hydroacoustic, infrasound, and radionuclide technologies.
  • Russia ratified the CTBT in 2000 but revoked its ratification in November 2023 amid the Ukraine conflict, citing the US failure to ratify as justification.
  • India's position: India did not sign the CTBT, citing the treaty's failure to include a time-bound commitment by nuclear-weapon states to eliminate nuclear weapons and objecting to the entry-into-force provision as unprecedented in multilateral practice.

Connection to this news: The US accusations against China of violating the spirit of the CTBT underscore the treaty's inherent weakness: without entry into force and mandatory verification, allegations of clandestine testing remain difficult to prove or disprove, leaving global nuclear test-ban norms unenforceable.

New START Treaty and Nuclear Arms Control Architecture

The New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) was the last bilateral nuclear arms control agreement between the US and Russia. It expired on February 5, 2026.

  • Signed in 2010 by Presidents Obama and Medvedev, the treaty limited each party to 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear warheads, 700 deployed delivery vehicles (ICBMs, SLBMs, heavy bombers), and 800 deployed and non-deployed launchers.
  • The treaty included robust verification mechanisms: on-site inspections (up to 18 per year), data exchanges, and notifications.
  • Russia suspended its participation in February 2023, though it claimed to continue observing numerical limits until expiry.
  • The treaty could not be extended beyond February 5, 2026, under its own provisions.
  • The expiration leaves no binding nuclear arms control framework between the two largest nuclear powers, which together possess approximately 90% of the world's nuclear warheads.
  • The US has called for any successor treaty to include China, which possesses an estimated 500+ nuclear warheads and is rapidly expanding its arsenal.

Connection to this news: The Kremlin's denial of secret tests occurs against the backdrop of a complete collapse of the nuclear arms control architecture, with New START's expiry removing the last verification mechanism and the US push to include China signalling a fundamental shift from bilateral to trilateral frameworks.

India's Nuclear Doctrine and Non-Proliferation Position

India conducted nuclear tests in 1974 (Smiling Buddha) and 1998 (Pokhran-II) and declared itself a nuclear weapons state. India maintains a credible minimum deterrence posture with a no-first-use (NFU) policy.

  • India is not a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which it considers discriminatory for creating a two-tier system of nuclear "haves" and "have-nots."
  • India has not signed the CTBT but maintains a voluntary moratorium on nuclear testing since 1998.
  • The Indo-US Civil Nuclear Agreement (2008) provided India access to civilian nuclear technology and fuel despite not being an NPT signatory.
  • India is a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR, 2016), the Wassenaar Arrangement (2017), and the Australia Group (2018), but not the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), where China blocks India's membership.

Connection to this news: The collapse of US-Russia arms control and US accusations against China of clandestine testing underscore the fragility of the global non-proliferation regime, which directly affects India's strategic calculations and its advocacy for universal disarmament within a time-bound framework.

Key Facts & Data

  • New START expiry: February 5, 2026; no successor treaty in place.
  • New START limits: 1,550 deployed warheads; 700 deployed delivery vehicles; 800 launchers per party.
  • CTBT signatories: 187; ratifiers: 178; not yet in force.
  • Annex II states that have not signed the CTBT: India, Pakistan, North Korea.
  • US and Russia combined share of global nuclear warheads: Approximately 90%.
  • China's estimated nuclear arsenal: 500+ warheads and expanding.
  • India's voluntary testing moratorium: Since 1998.