Russia's Withdrawal from Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Sparks Concern and Criticism

Russia has signed a law revoking its ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), a global treaty banning nuclear testing. While the United States signed the treaty in 1996, it has never been ratified. Russia's move, although mostly symbolic, adds to the recent sense of menace fostered by President Putin and other hard-line Kremlin officials. The New START treaty is now the only significant nuclear weapons pact between Russia and the United States that remains in place. The CTBT aimed to ban all nuclear tests, but its effectiveness has been limited due to key countries, including the United States, not ratifying it.