Russia is considering changing its military doctrine to include pre-emptive nuclear strikes. This is confirmed by the head of the Kremlin, Putin.
According to its President Vladimir Putin, Russia is considering including the possibility of pre-emptive strikes against other countries in its military doctrine. Such an attack could be possible to disarm another state, the Kremlin chief said on Friday in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek, apparently with a view to a possible use of nuclear weapons.
Putin said on Wednesday that Russia would only use nuclear weapons in response to an attack. “We consider weapons of mass destruction, nuclear weapons, as a means of defense,” he said. Russia’s strategy is based on a policy of “so-called retaliation,” Putin assured on Wednesday. “We consider weapons of mass destruction, nuclear weapons, as a means of defense,” Putin said.
Asked by a journalist for a more detailed explanation of the new statements, the Kremlin boss said on Friday at the Eurasian Economic Union summit in Bishkek: “The USA has the concept of a preventive strike.” Perhaps Moscow should “adopt the US ideas in order to guarantee its own security”. At the same time, the Kremlin boss added: “We’re just thinking about it at the moment.”
On Thursday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he was relieved by Russian statements about attacks with nuclear weapons. He saw the danger of a nuclear escalation in the Ukraine war falling. “Russia has stopped threatening to use nuclear weapons,” Scholz told the Funke media group.