Russia withdraws ratification of nuclear test ban

At a plenary meeting, the State Duma adopted in the third and final reading a law on the withdrawal of ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).

The bill was signed by 438 deputies, the press service of the lower house of the Russian Parliament reports.

The bill was prepared on behalf of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin and submitted to parliament on October 13. It involves the abolition of Article 1 of the law “On the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty,” which proposes ratification of the CTBT, signed on behalf of the Russian Federation in New York on September 24, 1996.

It was assumed that the CTBT would become a unique international legal instrument prohibiting any type of nuclear tests. Russia, by ratifying this treaty, expected a “responsible approach” from the United States, which only signed but did not ratify the treaty, Volodin said.

He emphasized that Washington, due to double standards, is irresponsible regarding global security issues.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia could behave in a mirror manner in relation to the United States on this issue.

At the same time, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted, Russia’s refusal to ratify the CTBT does not mean an intention to conduct nuclear tests.