Russia Today
Friday, December 18, 2009
The country’s military doctrine will remain defensive even if it contains pre-emptive measures, analysts say.
Members of the Russian Security Council have approved the draft new military doctrine of the country, the media reported. After some technical work on the document, it will be adopted soon.
The doctrine may allow Russia to deliver a pre-emptive nuclear strike. Yury Baluevsky, deputy secretary of the Security Council, says that a nuclear strike is not ruled out when “a real threat to the existence of the state emerges,” Russian News Service radio said. The basis of Russia’s military policy remains the same – “to prevent any military threat,” he said.
(ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW)
[efoods]The previous military doctrine, adopted in 2000, considered the nukes “as a factor of containing aggression, securing the defense of Russia and its allies and supporting international stability.”
Nikolay Patrushev, the Secretary of the Russian Security Council said earlier that the new doctrine will allow the military to use nukes in small-scale conflicts and launch pre-emptive nuclear strikes.
Gazeta.ru, which obtained a copy of the draft doctrine, stressed that the document gives Russia “the right to a nuclear war. Moscow will be able to strike a pre-emptive nuclear strike, the website explained, adding that the Russian president may sign the document by the end of the year.
The work on the project “has lasted for seven years” and new amendments are “not expected until December 25,” a source told the website.
The Emergency Election Sale is now live! Get 30% to 60% off our most popular products today!