Putin revokes Russia’s ratification of nuclear test ban treaty.

To align Moscow with the US, President Vladimir Putin approved a measure on Thursday that revokes Russia’s ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

Russia claims that the de-ratification has no effect on its nuclear posture or how it disseminates information about its atomic operations and that it will not begin testing until Washington does.

Putin had stated that he wanted Russia, which had signed and ratified the agreement, to take the same position on the treaty as the United States. Washington had signed the 1996 deal but had never done so.

Although Russian authorities have played down the concept, some Western weapons control specialists are worried that Russia may be creeping closer to a test intended to frighten and incite panic amid the conflict in Ukraine.

In response to proposals from Russian security experts and MPs to test a nuclear weapon as a message to the West, Putin stated on October 5 that he was not ready to announce whether or not Russia should resume atomic testing.

Western analysts believe that if such a move were to occur, it may trigger a new phase of large-scale nuclear testing by major powers.

On a government website, Putin’s acceptance of the de-ratification bill was announced, along with the statement that it became effective right away.

The move has already received approval from the Russian parliament’s two houses.

Once-Soviet Russia has never conducted a nuclear experiment. The latest tests were conducted by the US in 1992 and the USSR in 1990.

Post-Soviet Russia has never carried out a nuclear test. The Soviet Union last tested in 1990, and the United States in 1992.