WASHINGTON, November 3. /TASS/. Russia favors strengthening and developing the global control over nuclear weapons, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov has said.

Commenting on US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s criticism of Russia’s decision to revoke its ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), the Russian diplomat said: "The State Department’s criticism and concerns are misdirected."

"We do not need a reminder of the importance of preserving the global norm against nuclear explosive testing. The Russian leadership has made it clear: we remain a signatory to the CTBT with all the rights and responsibilities that come with it. We abide by the voluntary moratorium on nuclear tests established in 1992 by a Presidential Decree," Antonov said in a statement, posted on the embassy’s Telegram channel.

He reiterated that Moscow continued "to exchange information with the other participants of the International Monitoring System."

"Our country support strengthening and expanding the global nuclear arms control regime. The most solid basis for it is equal consideration and respect for the interests of all parties," the diplomat went on.

"It should be clearly understood that if the Americans had ratified the Treaty they signed in 1996, we would not have ended up in the current situation. Russia has to correct the legal and political imbalance within the agreement’s framework, caused by Washington," he continued.

"We ratified the CTBT in 2000. For more than 20 years, we have waited for the rest of the states in good faith and keeping with their commitments to arms control and non-proliferation to follow our example. The US position in this regard has been the most destructive," Antonov added.

In his words, "other countries whose ratification is necessary for the Treaty to enter into force take their cues from Washington."

"However for over a quarter of a century Americans have not made any specific steps to fulfill the ratification procedures, and five years ago they officially abandoned the idea altogether. Moreover, they continue to upgrade the infrastructure and equipment at the Nevada test site," Antonov said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier signed a law according to which Russia withdraws ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Moscow signed the treaty in New York on September 24, 1996, and ratified it on May 27, 2000. The pact was designed to become the main tool of international law to stop any kind of nuclear testing. However, to date, the treaty has not entered into force, as it has not been ratified by 8 out of 44 states that have nuclear weapons or the potential to build them.

A memo to the law said the legislation aims to restore parity in nuclear arms control commitments. It however said that while the law provides a legal basis for Russia to revoke the ratification, it does not mean the country is withdrawing from the CTBT.