Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved the Basics of state policy in the field of nuclear deterrence. The relevant decree is published on the official Internet portal of legal information.
"The Russian Federation considers nuclear weapons solely as a means of deterrence, the use of which is an extreme forced measure, and is making all necessary efforts to reduce the nuclear threat and prevent the aggravation of inter-state relations that can provoke military conflicts, including nuclear ones," the document, which comes into force on June 2, reads.
The state policy in the field of nuclear deterrence, as noted, is defensive in nature, but its foundations can be clarified depending on external and internal factors, the decree emphasizes.
The main dangers for Russia are: the presence of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction; the uncontrolled spread of nuclear weapons; the deployment of nuclear weapons on the territory of non-nuclear states; deploy in other countries of offensive weapons; the placement of missile defense and strike systems in space; the build-up of forces near Russia's borders.
Deterrence is aimed at making the potential enemy aware of the inevitability of retribution for aggression.
Moscow still reserves the right to launch a nuclear strike either in response to a similar attack or in the event of a threat to the existence of a state, and it also intends to exercise nuclear deterrence against countries and coalitions that consider it a potential enemy and possess nuclear capabilities.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation