Russia: Western Actions Force Us to Strengthen Our Nuclear Deterrent

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov stated that "Moscow warns its adversaries in the West of its feeling of being compelled to enhance its nuclear deterrent due to what it perceives as their escalatory course." The agency reported that "Russia, however, will not change its nuclear doctrine which allows for the use of nuclear weapons in the event of an existential threat to the state." The deputy minister said: "There is no change in this regard at the moment. However, the situation itself is changing, and thus how the fundamental documents in this area relate to our security needs is continuously being analyzed." He added: "We warn our adversaries that their escalatory path inevitably brings us to the need to take steps that effectively enhance our deterrent measures." He noted that the maneuvers involving Russian tactical nuclear weapons, announced by Moscow earlier this week, are part of these efforts.