Highlights of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)

CTBT was introduced in 1996 to ban "any nuclear weapon test explosion or any other nuclear explosion" anywhere in the world.

The treaty aims at reducing nuclear weapons across the world, eventually eliminating them.

A total of 187 states have signed the treaty, and 178 have ratified it by passing corresponding laws in their parliaments.

Britain, France and Russia are the three countries that possess nuclear weapons and have signed and ratified CTBT.

Meanwhile, the United States, Israel and China have signed but not ratified.

Now, Russia is planning to withdraw Moscow's ratification of the treaty.

All photos show Pripyat, also known as Prypiat, an abandoned city in northern Ukraine near Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Credit: AFP