Russia’s government said on Wednesday that China has rejected recent allegations from the United States that Beijing conducted a covert nuclear weapons test, dismissing the accusations as unfounded, officials reported.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that neither China nor Russia has carried out secret nuclear tests, and he noted that Beijing had “categorically denied” the U.S. claims.
The comments came after U.S. officials this week renewed accusations that China conducted a concealed underground nuclear explosion in June 2020, based on seismic data and other intelligence, and pressed for a broader arms control framework that would include China alongside the United States and Russia.
China’s government has strongly rejected those American claims, with a statement earlier this month describing them as “completely groundless” and accusing Washington of seeking pretexts for its own testing or strategic aims.
Peskov said the allegations about secret tests had been “mentioned” in U.S. statements, but he insisted that “neither the Russian Federation nor China has conducted any nuclear tests.” He added that Chinese representatives had firmly denied the claims as part of the broader diplomatic exchange.
The dispute arises amid growing global concerns about nuclear arms control following the expiration of the New START treaty earlier this month, the last major U.S.–Russia agreement to limit nuclear weapons, and as Washington calls for updated negotiations.
Independent monitoring groups have said seismic evidence cited by the U.S. is inconclusive, and experts remain cautious about attributing the events to nuclear testing without broader corroboration.
