Russia’s Doma has recently completed the passage of a law aimed at withdrawing ratification of the global treaty banning nuclear weapons tests, which illustrates the deep chill in relations between the two superpowers and world resolute competitors. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has already declared that Russia was not prepared to resume discussion on nuclear issues with the US side unless Washington dropped its hostile policy toward Moscow.
The bill to de-ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) was approved by 156 votes to zero in the upper house after the lower house also cleared it unanimously. Seemingly, the bill would be translated into law after Russian Strongman President Viadimir Putin thumped his stamp on it while the Kremlin will ultimately withdraw its ratification of the important multilateral accord in the coming weeks that would be surely a blow to the global efforts for denuclearization and nuclear nonproliferation at this crucial moment.
The global geostrategic landscape has all together changed after Russia unilaterally launched its special military operation against Kiev in early 2022. The months-long war has exhausted the Russian war machine along with levelling unprecedented economic losses due to strict trade and economic sanctions imposed by the west to obstruct provision of finances essential to fuel Kremlin brutal hostility against its neighbour. Historically, the United States signed the CTBT in 1996 but never ratified it, while Russian not only signed it but duly ratified to make its abidance compulsory for itself. Currently, the dialogue on strategic stability, including the topic of strategic offensive arms and other issues between the two competitors are at halt, while Moscow also pulled itself from CTBT, which is indicative of emergence of a new arms race and reinitiation of another cold war.
THe situation has been dire as the Russian troops are facing a continued setback in their war on Ukrainian fronts. There had been a series of Moscow’s backtreat and heavy losses from Black Sea to the Bukhmut region. Russia has recently advertised its latest supersonic long range missile system and is now preparing to renew its nuclear activities, atomic research and experiences to make its nuclear arsenal more lethal and destructive. Apparently, Putin is preparing for a decisive and final round during which he could not defeat his enemies except the use of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). Hence, the world must not ignore/ forget the reaction of a fox when it surrounds and faces death risk from a herd of wolves.
