Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov has announced preparations for full-scale nuclear tests in response to recent U.S. drills that he claims simulated “pre-emptive missile-nuclear strikes” on Russian territory. Speaking at a Kremlin Security Council meeting, Belousov said the Novaya Zemlya test site is ready for activation “within a short time frame.” The move marks a sharp escalation following the U.S. “Global Thunder 2025” exercises and Washington’s deployment plans for the hypersonic “Dark Eagle” missile system. Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov backed the proposal, warning time to respond is running out. President Donald Trump has vowed similar U.S. nuclear tests.
The upcoming deployment of the U.S. Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), officially known as ‘Dark Eagle,’ represents a major turning point… Scheduled to enter service by the end of fiscal year 2025, the Dark Eagle system marks the United States’ formal entry into the hypersonic missile race.