“Today we are holding a planned event, the meeting is called the Permanent Meeting on Nuclear Deterrence, it is held twice a year and on today’s agenda we have a topic related to updating the Fundamentals of State Policy in the field of nuclear deterrence.
Together with the Military Doctrine, this is a document that officially defines and details Russia’s nuclear strategy. First of all, the basic principle of the use of nuclear weapons is established: the use of nuclear forces is an extreme measure to protect the country’s sovereignty.
Let me stress that we have always approached these issues with the utmost responsibility. Well aware of the colossal power that these weapons possess, we sought to strengthen the international legal framework for global stability and to prevent the “spread” of nuclear weapons and their components.
Today, the nuclear triad remains the most important guarantee of the security of our state and our citizens, an instrument for maintaining strategic parity and the balance of power in the world.
At the same time, we see that the modern military-political situation is dynamically changing and we must take this into account. Including the emergence of new sources of military threats and risks for Russia and our allies.
It is important to predict the evolution of the situation and adapt the provisions of the strategic planning document accordingly to current realities.
The draft nuclear doctrine expands the category of states and military alliances against which nuclear deterrence is carried out
Over the past year, specialists from the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the staff of the Security Council and other departments conducted a thorough and comprehensive analysis and assessed the need to adjust our approaches to the possible use of nuclear forces. Based on the results of this work, it was proposed to make a number of clarifications on determining the conditions for the use of nuclear weapons.
Thus, the Foundations project expanded the category of states and military alliances against which nuclear deterrence is carried out, and added to the list of military threats to neutralize which nuclear deterrence measures are carried out.
What else would I like to draw your attention to? In the updated version of the document, it is proposed to consider aggression against Russia by any non-nuclear state, but with the participation or support of a nuclear state, as their joint attack against the Russian Federation.
The conditions for Russia’s transition to the use of nuclear weapons are also clearly set. We will consider this possibility once we receive reliable information about the massive launch of aerospace attack weapons and their crossing of our state border. I mean strategic and tactical aircraft, cruise missiles, drones, hypersonic aircraft and others.
We reserve the right to use nuclear weapons in the event of aggression against Russia and Belarus as a member of the Union State. All these issues were agreed with the Belarusian side, with the President of Belarus. Even if the enemy, using conventional weapons, poses a critical threat to our sovereignty.
In conclusion, I would like to note that all clarifications are thoroughly verified and are proportional to modern military threats and risks in relation to the Russian Federation.”
The President then handed over to Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, and the meeting continued behind closed doors.
