MOSCOW: Moscow on Thursday sought to cool rising nuclear tensions with Washington, after two tests of new Russian nuclear-capable weapons systems prompted US President Donald Trump order his own nuclear tests. The Kremlin said its testing of nuclear-powered nuclear-capable weapons — the Burevestnik cruise missile and the Poseidon underwater drone — did not constitute a direct test of an atomic weapon. Both countries observe a de facto moratorium on testing nuclear warheads, though Russia regularly runs military drills involving systems that are capable of carrying such weapons.

Trump orders U.S. nuclear weapons testing amid rising tensions with Russia and China, following Putin's recent underwater drone test.

"All nations continue to advance the development of their defense systems, but this does not constitute a nuclear test," Dmitry Peskov emphasized