Russia calls U.S. nuclear accusation 'crude provocation'

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday called a U.S. allegation that Moscow may be conducting nuclear tests in violation of a moratorium on such tests "groundless" and a "crude provocation."

The ministry said in a statement that Russia was in full compliance with the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), which Moscow ratified in 2000. It called for the United States itself to ratify the treaty.

Negotiated in the 1990s, the CTBT enjoys wide global support but must be ratified by eight more nuclear technology states, among them Israel, Iran, Egypt and the United States to come into force.

(Reporting by Andrey Kuzmin; writing by Tom Balmforth; editing by)