Text of remarks by Vladimir Putin to Russia’s National Security Council, Sept 25, 2024, re-published here in The Multiplural World, Sept 26, 2024 (with recommended, related readings further below)
The following are the introductory remarks by Vladimir Putin on September 25 to the twice-yearly meeting of the ‘Standing Conference On Nuclear Deterrence’ of the National Security Council of the Russian Federation. The remarks are first published on the English-language website of the President of Russia on September 25, 2024.
Vladimir Putin: Today we are holding a planned meeting, the Standing Conference On Nuclear Deterrence. We hold it twice a year. And today, we will discuss an issue related to updating the Basic Principles of State Policy on Nuclear Deterrence. Alongside the Military Doctrine, this is a document that officially defines and details Russia’s nuclear strategy.
First of all, it sets forth the basic principle of using nuclear weapons: the use of nuclear forces is the last resort measure to protect the country’s sovereignty. Let me stress that we have always been highly responsible in matters like this, being well aware of the colossal power these weapons have, striving to strengthen the international legal foundation for global stability and prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and their components.
At present, our nuclear triad remains the most important security guarantee for our state and citizens, an instrument for maintaining strategic parity and balance of forces in the world. At the same time, we can see that the modern military-political situation is rapidly changing and we have to factor that in, including the emergence of new sources of military threats and risks for Russia and our allies. It is important to predict the development of the situation and adjust the provisions of the strategic planning document in accordance with current realities.
Over the last year, specialists from the Defence Ministry, Foreign Ministry, Security Council Office and other agencies have made an in-depth and comprehensive analysis and evaluated the need for adjusting our approaches to a possible use of nuclear forces. Based on the results of this work, a number of updates have been proposed in defining the conditions for using nuclear weapons.
Thus, the draft Basic Principles expand the category of states and military alliances in respect of which nuclear deterrence is exercised and expand the list of military threats to be neutralised by nuclear deterrence measures. I would like to draw your attention specifically to the following. The updated version of the document is supposed to address an aggression against Russia from any non-nuclear state but which involves or is supported by any nuclear state, that is, a joint attack against the Russian Federation.
It also states clearly the conditions for Russia’s transition to the use of nuclear weapons. We will consider such a possibility once we receive reliable information about a massive launch of air and space attack weapons and their crossing our state border. I speak of strategic and tactical aircraft, cruise missiles, UAVs, and hypersonic and other aircraft.
We reserve the right to use nuclear weapons in the event of aggression against Russia and against Belarus as a member of the Union State. All these issues have been agreed upon with the Belarusian side and the President of Belarus. Including the case when the enemy, using conventional weapons, creates a critical threat to our sovereignty.
In conclusion, I will note that all the updates have been deeply calibrated and are measured against contemporary military threats and risks to the Russian Federation. Let’s get down to work. I give the floor to Defence Minister Andrei Belousov. [end introductory remarks]
Three recommended, related readings:
* Putin’s nuclear doctrine updates are a final warning to the West, commentary by Dmitry Trenin, in RT International (RT News), Sept 27, 2024 (Dmitry Trenin is a research professor at the Higher School of Economics (HSE) in Moscow and a member of the Russian International Affairs Council.)
* Putin unveils new nuclear doctrine in final warning to West, analysis published on the Substack page of ‘Simplicius The Thinker’ Sept 25, 2024
* Containing the West, nuclear weapons, the first rule of proxy fight club, and the Putin message everyone fails to get, by Tarik Cyril Amar, published on his Substack page ‘The Ninth Wave’, Sept 25, 2024
