Why Russia ‘De-Ratified’ Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty?

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Written by Drago Bosnic, independent geopolitical and military analyst

On November 2, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law that effectively ensures the “de-ratification” of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). The 1996 agreement was devised to codify the banning of nuclear weapons testing. Prior to November, there were 187 signatories to the CTBT, 178 of which ratified it. However, Russia was among the few world’s top nuclear powers that both signed and ratified the agreement. Notably, the United States signed it, but has consistently been refusing to ratify the treaty. In response to Russia’s move, the mainstream propaganda machine has already accused it of supposedly “paving the way for potential nuclear testing”, as well as the attempt to allegedly reciprocate because the US has been refusing to ratify CTBT for 27 years now.

Still, both assumptions are incorrect. Namely, back in August, Washington DC suggested that it could resume live nuclear weapons testing. Moscow has been warning about this for months, but the political West usually decries it as the mythical “Russian disinformation”. Still, the US intention to restart nuclear weapons testing isn’t subsiding in the slightest. Quite the contrary, the belligerent thalassocracy is now actively working on restoring and improving its nuclear test sites. In addition, high-ranking Russian officials and independent experts regularly warn about the development of new thermonuclear weapons in America, including the so-called “nuclear super-fuse” technology that the US has been testing for decades, particularly under the Obama administration.

The testing continued ever since, both under Trump and Biden. Investigative historian Eric Zuesse wrote extensively on the topic, warning that the sole purpose of this controversial technology is to exponentially amplify the effectiveness of America’s first-strike capabilities. And while some might discard Zuesse’s warnings and even decry them as “doom and gloom fantasy” or the aforementioned “Russian disinformation”, recent developments only reinforce his already sound hypothesis. What’s more, NATO is directly involved in these plans. Just a week ago, the belligerent alliance concluded the “Steadfast Noon” nuclear exercise involving approximately 60 aircraft, including nuclear-capable F-16s and B-52 strategic bombers simulating strikes with B61-12 bombs.

It should be noted that these nuclear bombs will also be augmented by the upcoming B61-13 variant. And although the nature of this upgrade is classified, it’s safe to assume that they will also include the aforementioned “nuclear super-fuse” technology. The Pentagon already announced that these new bombs will be comparable to the B61-7 version that can have a yield of up to 340 kt (roughly equivalent to 22-23 Hiroshima bombs). Faced with such escalation, Russia doesn’t exactly have a lot of choice but to be prepared. This is precisely why President Putin recently ordered nationwide drills simulating an all-out nuclear attack on Russia, as well as its own retaliatory strikes on the aggressors. Earlier, the US FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) conducted warning exercises.

In addition, the Pentagon just test-fired one of its ancient LGM-30 “Minuteman 3” ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles). And although the test was a failure, Washington DC is clearly showing its plans and attitudes toward Moscow. This is the main reason Russia decided to rearm half of its ICBMs with maneuvering hypersonic warheads and why it keeps testing and upgrading its arsenal. Apart from world-class SSBNs (ballistic missile submarines) and unrivaled strategic bombers/missile carriers, Moscow also deployed a number of “Poseidon” nuclear-tipped underwater drones that are so destructive they can cause literal radioactive tsunamis. This is without even taking into account the massive Russian ground-based arsenal, by far the most powerful in the world.

Meanwhile, Western experts and politicians keep blaming the Eurasian giant for the ongoing escalation, even though it was precisely Russia that offered multiple peace treaties and agreements, none of which were accepted or honored by the political West. It’s important to note that the belligerent power pole doesn’t do this only with Moscow, but other global and regional players as well. For instance, many in Washington DC are calling for the US to place China’s breakaway island province of Taiwan under its nuclear umbrella. Needless to say, the reaction from Beijing would be rightfully vengeful. In addition, North Korea also expressed concern that the US would rather push the rest of the globe into a world-ending thermonuclear confrontation than give up on its neocolonialist policies.

Unfortunately, the world is left with no choice except to arm itself with the most destructive weapons in human history, all in order to deter the perpetually aggressive political West. And while no normal country would ever willingly prioritize weapons over the well-being of its citizens, many are just forced to do so in order to simply survive under the modern-day “sword of Damocles”, better known as the vaunted “freedom and democracy”. Being prepared to face such challenges is part and parcel of not just the survival of entire countries, but also their sustainable development.