Russia is set to revoke its ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), a treaty that prohibits all nuclear weapons tests and explosions, which the US has never ratified.
Russia’s upper house of parliament, the Federation Council, approved a bill on Wednesday to revoke the ratification. The lower house, the State Duma, approved the bill last week, and now it heads to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s desk for his signature.
Russia ratified the CTBT in 2000, and Putin has said that revoking it would “mirror” US policy. The US and Russia are still participants in the 1963 Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which prohibits all nuclear weapons tests except those performed underground.
Also on Wednesday, Russia conducted a simulation of a nuclear strike, but it’s unclear at this point if Russia is planning to resume live-fire nuclear tests.
Last week, the US conducted an explosion at a nuclear test site in Nevada. According to Bloomberg, the test used chemicals and radioisotopes to “validate new predictive explosion models” that can help the Energy Department detect atomic blasts in other countries.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said Moscow perceived the test as a political message since it came shortly after Russia announced its intention to revoke the CTBT ratification.
“It is definitely a political message. We must remain vigilant. As our president said, if the United States makes a move towards full-scale nuclear tests, we will have to give a reciprocal response in this field, too,” Ryabkov said.
The US better back this down, seriously.
I know the US and Israel will not back down a Nuclear Confrontation. They are too stupid and arrogant. they really believe they are Chosen andc exceptional.
If the two successful tests in Japan mean anything, I doubt that we will.
Expected statement.
Impossible you would’ve said:
Russia better back this down.
Who ran a test first? Hmmmm
You US haters are something else.
It’s too bad it has come to this. But there are people who are pushing the notion that a nuclear bomb isn’t as serious as we were told. A reminder might actually be necessary to save the planet.
“if the United States makes a move towards full-scale nuclear tests”
The US or any other advance country has no need to make a full scale test of a nuclear weapon. This is not the 1950s.
I think it’s good that Moscow calls out Washington for its BS. In theory that should keep us honest, but we all know that’s not going to happen. When *something* happens, I really hope no one in this country says a word about ‘Russia can’t be trusted’ on a treaty we never abided by in the first place.
Bush and Trump withdrew us from treaties that kept us safe. ABM, INF, Open Skies. Trump also withdrew from the JCPOA with Iran that was working.
About damn time. Negotiation and peace involves two or more willing participants.