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Putin: Nuclear Weapons Last Resort to Ensure Russia's Security
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Review of Russian nuclear doctrine indicates strategic shift in Moscow's deterrence policy in response to escalating Western pressure
Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized his country's principled position considering nuclear weapons as a last and exceptional resort to ensure state security.
During his supervision of Strategic Deterrence Forces exercises via video link from the Kremlin operations center, Putin clarified that Moscow won't be drawn into a new arms race, while maintaining its nuclear forces at the required level.
Strategic Deterrence Forces represent a key element in the Russian military system, dedicated to deterring any aggression against Russia and its allies using various weapons, including nuclear ones.
Russian nuclear threats have escalated in recent weeks, coinciding with increasing Western discussion about potentially allowing Ukraine to target Russian territory.
Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin warned last September that targeting Russian territory could lead to nuclear war.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov announced early this month his country's intention to modify its nuclear doctrine in response to Western positions on the Ukraine war.
The Russian nuclear doctrine, according to a 2020 presidential decree, permits the use of nuclear weapons in case of a nuclear attack or conventional attack threatening the state's existence.
Russia is one of nine countries possessing nuclear weapons, alongside the United States, Britain, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, and Israel, which hasn't officially confirmed its nuclear weapons possession.
These statements come amid escalating tensions between Russia and the West, with international concerns about the potential development of the Ukraine conflict into a nuclear confrontation.
Levant-Agencies
