Russia’s Foreign Ministry announced today (Friday) that despite Moscow withdrawing its ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, it intends to adhere to the ban on nuclear tests.

A statement from the ministry, reported by Agence France-Presse, said that “we want to maintain the temporary ban that has been in place for more than 30 years,” but that any test conducted by the United States “will oblige us. Do the same.”

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law revoking Russia’s ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.

Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1996, the treaty aims to ban all nuclear tests, but has not been implemented as several major nuclear powers have failed to accede, notably the United States and China.

The West has accused Russia of recklessly exporting nuclear weapons since it invaded Ukraine last February. Yesterday (Thursday), US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken criticized Russia’s withdrawal from the deal, calling on Moscow not to conduct nuclear tests.

“Unfortunately, this represents a major step in the wrong direction and takes us further away from the agreement coming into force, rather than closer to it,” Blinken said in a statement.

He added: “This is a continuation of Moscow’s chaotic and misguided efforts to increase nuclear risks and raise tensions while continuing its illegal war against Ukraine.”

In mid-October, Russia conducted ballistic missile tests aimed at preparing its forces for a “massive nuclear strike”.

Putin announced earlier in October that he was not ready to say “whether Russia will conduct direct nuclear tests.”

The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization called on Russia to continue its commitment to the treaty, including operating monitoring stations in its territory capable of detecting even the slightest explosion in real time.

Also, in February, Moscow stopped participating in the “New START” nuclear disarmament treaty signed between Russia and the United States in 2010, the last bilateral agreement between Moscow and Washington.