Russia prepares to withdraw from nuclear test ban treaty

Russian lawmakers have approved a bill revoking the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).

The move adds to the tension between Moscow and the West amid Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The upper house Federation Council unanimously approved the bill to abandon the landmark agreement outlawing nuclear weapons tests on October 25, Al Jazeera reports.

The lower house State Duma passed it in an accelerated vote last week. The legislation now only needs the signature of President Vladimir Putin to come into effect.

Moscow announced on October 6 its intention to withdraw from the treaty to “mirror” the position of the United States, which has itself signed but never ratified the treaty.

It is unclear, however, whether the revocation will result in Russia resuming tests of nuclear weapons.

Putin said on October 5: “I hear calls to start testing nuclear weapons. I am not ready to say whether we really need to conduct tests or not.”

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said earlier this month that Moscow will continue to respect the ban and will only resume nuclear tests if the US does so.

However, he noted on Wednesday that the US conducted a chemical explosion at its test site in Nevada.

While Washington said the test would help it “detect” low-yield nuclear explosions, Ryabkov told the Federation Council that the blast was “undoubtedly a political signal”.

“As our president said, we must be on alert, and if the United States moves towards the start of nuclear tests, we will have to respond here in the same way,” the official said.