The Kremlin affirmed on Thursday that Russia would make “maximum efforts” to prevent a nuclear war after a revision of Russian doctrine which broadens the possibility of using atomic weapons.
The Kremlin affirmed this Thursday, November 21, that Russia would make “maximum efforts” to prevent a nuclear war after a revision of Russian doctrine which broadens the possibility of using atomic weapons, in the midst of tension between Moscow and Russia. West around the conflict in Ukraine.
“We stressed that, following our doctrine, Russia adopts a responsible position in order to make maximum efforts not to allow such a conflict,” declared the spokesperson for the Russian presidency, Dmitry Peskov, hoping that “other countries” will have “this responsible posture”.
Russia has reinforced its nuclear warnings in recent days, while accusing the West of “wanting escalation”. According to its new doctrine on the use of nuclear weapons, made official on Tuesday, Russia can now use them in the event of a “massive” attack by a non-nuclear country but supported by a nuclear power, a clear reference to Ukraine and in the United States.
This change “de facto excludes the possibility of defeating the Russian armed forces on the battlefield”, underlined Wednesday the head of Russian foreign intelligence, Sergei Naryshkin, suggesting that Russia would resort to the atomic bomb rather than risk defeat in a conventional war.
A change denounced internationally
Washington, Paris, London and the European Union have denounced an “irresponsible” attitude. Ukraine urged its allies “not to give in to fear.” French President Emmanuel Macron denounced on the sidelines of the G20 summit an “escalatory” posture of Russia, which he called “to reason”. China, Moscow's crucial partner accused of participating in its military effort, for its part called on “all parties” to be “calm” and “restraint”.
Ukraine accused Russia on Thursday of having, for the first time, fired an intercontinental missile on its territory, using this vector of its nuclear deterrent without an atomic charge, in the midst of a new Russian-Western escalation around the Ukrainian conflict.
The Russian army has so far remained silent, as has the Kremlin. “I have nothing to say on this subject,” replied the spokesperson for the Russian presidency, Dmitry Peskov, when questioned by the media on this subject during a daily briefing. “An intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from the Russian region of Astrakhan” in the south of the country, the Ukrainian Air Force said in a statement.
