Putin Announces Proposed Changes in Russia’s Nuclear Doctrine

Sept. 26—Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered opening remarks to the semi-annual Permanent Conference of the Security Council on Nuclear Deterrence on Sept. 25. Here is the full text, as taken from the English subtitles provided by Sputnik (there is no official translation available yet):

“Today we are holding a scheduled event. This meeting is called the Regular Meeting on Nuclear Deterrence, and it is held twice a year. On today’s agenda, we will discuss the update of the Fundamental Principles of State Policy in the Sphere of Nuclear Deterrence. Alongside the Military Doctrine, this is a document in which Russia’s nuclear strategy is officially defined and detailed.

“First and foremost, the basic principle of nuclear weapon use is outlined, namely, that the use of nuclear forces is an extreme measure to protect the country’s sovereignty. I want to emphasize that we have always approached such matters with the utmost responsibility, fully aware of the immense power of these weapons. We have strived to strengthen the international legal framework for global stability, to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and their components.

“Today, the nuclear triad remains the most important guarantee to ensure the security of our state and citizens. It is a tool to maintain strategic parity and the balance of power in the world. At the same time, we see that the modern military political situation is changing dynamically, and we are obliged to take this into account, including the emergence of new sources of military threats, and risks for Russia and our allies.

“It is important to forecast the development of the situation, and accordingly to adapt the provisions of the strategic planning document to current realities. Over the past year, specialists from the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Security Council apparatus, and other agencies have conducted a deep and comprehensive analysis, evaluating the need to adjust our approaches to the potential use of nuclear forces. As a result of this, a number of clarifications have been proposed regarding the conditions for the use of nuclear weapons.

“Thus, the draft of the updated principles expands the category of states and military alliances subject to nuclear deterrence. The list of military threats for which nuclear deterrence measures are taken has been supplemented. I would like to draw special attention to the following. The updated version of the document proposes that ‘aggression against Russia by any non-nuclear state, but with a participation or support of a nuclear state,’ should be considered a joint attack on the Russian Federation.

“Furthermore, the conditions for Russia’s transition to the use of nuclear weapons are clearly defined. We will consider such a possibility as soon as reliable information is obtained about the mass launch of an aerospace attack and the crossing of our state borders. This includes strategic or tactical aircraft, cruise missiles, drones, hypersonic and other airborne vehicles.

“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 have been agreed upon with the Belarusian side and the President of Belarus. This includes cases where the enemy, using conventional weapons, creates a critical threat to our sovereignty.

“In conclusion, I would like to note that all the clarifications are well thought out and proportionate to the modern military threats and risks facing the Russian Federation.

“Let’s begin our work.”