Putin signs decree revoking Russia's ratification of Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Thursday, 2 November, which revokes Russia's ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).
On October 17 and October 18, members of the Russian State Duma unanimously passed a bill to withdraw from the treaty. This bill was prepared by the Committee on International Affairs under the supervision of the Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin. On 25 October, the withdrawal was also supported by all members of the Federation Council present during the vote.
Vladimir Putin, announced on October 5 during a discussion at the Valdai Discussion Club, that Russia might withdraw from the treaty on the prohibition of nuclear testing.
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in September 1996. While Russia ratified the treaty, the United States and China did not. The Soviet Union conducted its last nuclear test in 1990, and Russia has never conducted any afterward. The United States conducted its last test in 1992. Since then, there have been 10 nuclear tests worldwide, with India and Pakistan conducting two each in 1998, and the remaining tests being carried out by North Korea.
On 25 October, the Russian Ministry of Defence reported that it had carried out a "training exercise for a massive nuclear strike" in response to a nuclear attack from an enemy. The Minister of Defence, Sergei Shoigu, stated that the strategic training of the Russian nuclear forces was personally supervised by Putin.