The US conducted nuclear tests after Russia’s decision on the CTBT

The United States conducted tests at a nuclear test site on the day the State Duma approved a law revoking ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). About it reported in the press service of the US National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).

“An NNSA-led team conducted an underground chemical explosion at a Nevada national security site to improve the U.S. ability to detect low-yield nuclear explosions around the world,” the report said.

According to NNSA Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Corey Hinderstein, such experiments advance “the efforts [США] to develop new technologies in support of U.S. nuclear nonproliferation goals.” He explained that with their help it will be possible to minimize the number of global nuclear explosions – “by improving the detection of underground nuclear explosive tests.”

A bill to revoke ratification of the CTBT was submitted to the State Duma on October 14. Its authors were virtually all deputies of the lower house of parliament, led by faction leaders. The document was adopted in the first reading on October 17, and in the second and third readings on October 18.

Question about the need to revoke ratification raised Russian President Vladimir Putin at a meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club on October 5. At the same time, Putin clarified that he cannot say now whether Russia needs nuclear weapons tests. Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov explainedthat the withdrawal of ratification does not mean that Russia intends to conduct nuclear tests.

Earlier, State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin emphasized that Russia intends to do everything to protect its citizens and maintain strategic parity. He also noted that ratification of the CTBT had been expected from the United States for 23 years, but Washington never did so.

Russia signed an agreement to accept the treaty on September 24, 1996. The document prohibits nuclear weapons tests and nuclear explosions for peaceful purposes. The moratorium applies in the atmosphere, in space, under water and underground. The CTBT has not yet entered into force, as it has not been ratified by the United States, Egypt, Israel, Iran and China and has not been signed by India, North Korea and Pakistan.