20.11.2024, Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin approved the Basic Principles of State Policy of Russia on Nuclear Deterrence, the official portal of legal acts reports on November 19.
The Russian leader proposed to amend the nuclear doctrine on September 25.
The updated version of the doctrine expands the list of countries and military blocs against which nuclear deterrence is carried out. In addition, the criteria based on which Moscow will consider that it has been attacked have been changed. This, in turn, will give the Kremlin grounds for a retaliatory nuclear strike.
The Russian Defense Ministry supported President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to update the nuclear doctrine. Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov explained the need for such changes due to the evolving military and political situation. According to him, the program documents must be adapted to the new conditions.
The first military doctrine of Russia was approved and signed by decree of President Vladimir Putin on April 21, 2000. The second doctrine appeared on February 5, 2010, and the third (current) on December 26, 2014.
All versions of the Russian military doctrine emphasize that the country reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in response to the use of weapons of mass destruction against it or its allies.
On March 25, 2023, Vladimir Putin announced the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus at the request of Minsk, similar to the actions of the US. Moscow transferred the Iskander missile system and helped re-equip Belarusian aircraft to use special munitions. Belarusian missile troops and pilots underwent training in Russia. In April 2024, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko announced the deployment of several dozen nuclear weapons.
It should be noted that nuclear weapons can only be used if “conventional weapons used in an aggression against Russia threaten the very existence of the state.”
Such a threat may arise, for example, with direct military participation of the member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in the conflict.
Since 2010, in accordance with Russia’s military doctrine, the strengthening of NATO’s military-political presence has been considered one of the main military threats.
The decision to use nuclear weapons makes the Russian president.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
