Russia’s parliament on Tuesday swiftly passed a bill to abandon a landmark nuclear test ban treaty, moving closer to a Cold War-style arms race with the West.
The bill, which was approved unanimously by the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, still needs to be approved by the upper house and signed into law by President Vladimir Putin. However, it is expected to become law quickly.
The bill would revoke Russia’s ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which was signed by 185 countries in 1996 but has never entered into force because eight key countries, including the United States, have not ratified it.
The CTBT bans all nuclear explosions, both for military and civilian purposes. It is seen as a key instrument for preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons and for verifying arms control agreements.
Russia’s decision to abandon the CTBT is a serious setback for nuclear non-proliferation and arms control. It comes at a time of acute tension between Russia and the West over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The move has been condemned by the United States and other Western countries. The US State Department said that Russia’s decision was “deeply disappointing and irresponsible” and that it would “undermine global security and stability.”
Russia has defended its decision to abandon the CTBT, arguing that it is necessary to protect its national security. Russia has accused the United States of developing new nuclear weapons and of violating the CTBT by conducting subcritical nuclear tests.
However, experts say that Russia’s decision to abandon the CTBT is more likely to be motivated by its desire to develop new nuclear weapons and to counter the perceived threat from the United States and NATO.
Russia has been engaged in a major nuclear modernization program in recent years. The program has included the development of new nuclear weapons and missile systems.
Russia has also been expanding its nuclear arsenal. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Russia had an estimated 5,977 nuclear warheads in 2022. This is more than any other country in the world.
Russia’s decision to abandon the CTBT is a serious setback for nuclear non-proliferation and arms control. It could lead to a new arms race between Russia and the West.
Russia’s decision could also encourage other countries to develop nuclear weapons. This would pose a serious threat to global peace and security.
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