Russian President Vladimir Putin signed legislation Thursday de-ratifying an international nuclear weapons treaty.
The law withdraws Russia from the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), originally signed in 1996 and ratified in 2000.
Russian officials have characterized the country's withdrawal from the treaty as a move toward equality with Western powers.
The U.S. signed the treaty alongside Russia but failed to ratify its content and implement its regulations.
Other countries failed to finalize their commitment to the treaty, including China, Israel, Iran and North Korea.
