Russia's recent statements on nuclear testing stem from US President Trump's October 2025 announcement directing preparations to resume explosive nuclear tests after a decades-long moratorium, prompting President Putin to order feasibility assessments and reciprocal measures. Russian officials have highlighted the readiness of the Novaya Zemlya site while reaffirming adherence to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty unless another party conducts a test first. Preparation timelines cited by the Defense Ministry range from several months to years, amid broader strategic nuclear force exercises involving missile launches and command procedures. These developments, alongside ongoing qualitative modernization of Russia's arsenal and periodic drills at nuclear facilities, shape trader assessments of near-term testing risks without confirmed plans or timelines for an actual detonation. Diplomatic channels and any shifts in US policy remain key variables that could alter the trajectory.