Russian State Duma withdraws ratification of nuclear test ban treaty

The State Duma of the Russian Federation has withdrawn the ratification of the nuclear test ban treaty.

This was reported by the Russian edition of the Nastоyashchee Vremya (Current Time).

Earlier, Putin took the initiative to withdraw the ratification because the United States had not ratified the treaty either.

The Russian president's spokesperson claimed that the refusal to ratify the treaty did not mean that Russia would immediately start nuclear tests.

Meanwhile, on October 5, Vladimir Putin said at the Valdai forum that Russia had allegedly successfully tested a cruise missile with a Burevestnik nuclear-armed cruise missile.

The Test Ban Treaty was adopted at the 50th session of the UN General Assembly in September 1996. It was signed by 177 states and ratified by 138.