Ukraine condemns Russia’s steps to withdraw ratification of nuclear test ban treaty

Ukraine has condemned Russia's move to withdraw from the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

"Today, the world is witnessing yet another provocative step by the aggressor state in line with its nuclear blackmail-the Russian State Duma has approved in the first reading a draft law on the withdrawal of ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)," the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement accused Russia of provoking "a dangerous misbalance in the global architecture of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation," with its decisions to suspend participation in the New START Treaty and deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, to Ukraine's north.

"Such irresponsible behavior of the country with the largest nuclear potential in the world once again endangers international security and stability," the statement further said.

It called the treaty a key element of the global security architecture in the area of nuclear arms limitation and non-proliferation, adding that Kyiv supports efforts to universalize the treaty.

"Ukraine condemns Russia's steps aimed at revoking the Treaty's ratification, and calls on the international community to respond accordingly to Moscow's provocations aimed at harming the object and purpose of the CTBT," it said.

On Wednesday, the Russian lower chamber of parliament, the State Duma, voted unanimously for withdrawal of the agreement's ratification.

To come into effect, the bill has to be approved by both chambers of the Russian parliament in three readings and signed by the president.

The CTBT is an international treaty envisioning the banning of nuclear weapons tests and any other nuclear explosions. The treaty was adopted by the UN General Assembly on Sept. 10, 1996 and has since been signed by 186 countries and ratified by 177.

However, the treaty has not entered into force, with China, Iran, Egypt, India, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, and the US either having not signed or ratified the treaty.