Russia not privy to N. Korea nuke plans

MOSOW, Russia, Aug. 18 (UPI) -- If North Korea is preparing nuclear tests, as some U.S. officials suspect, Russia says it knows nothing of it.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said it had no information confirming such tests and said increasing tensions now would be counterproductive, Novosti reported.

A U.S. intelligence report mentioned suspicious vehicle movements at a North Korea test site. A U.S. State Department official later said a test was considered a possibility.

North Korea conducted test launches of ballistic missiles in early July.