President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Russia had successfully tested a powerful new strategic missile and declined to rule out the possibility that it could carry out weapons tests involving nuclear explosions for the first time in more than three decades.
Putin said for the first time that Moscow had successfully tested the Burevestnik, a nuclear-powered, capable cruise missile with a potential range of many thousands of miles.
He also told an annual meeting of analysts and journalists that Russia had almost completed work on its Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile system, another key element of its new generation of nuclear weapons.
Putin, who has repeatedly reminded the world of Russia’s nuclear power since launching his invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, said no one in their right mind would use nuclear weapons against Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin addressing the plenary session of the Valdai Discussion Club forum in Sochi on October 5, 2023.POOL/AFP via Getty Images
If such an attack were detected, he said, “such a number of our missiles – hundreds, hundreds – would appear in the air that not a single enemy would have a chance of surviving.”
Russia has not conducted a test involving a nuclear explosion since 1990, the year before the collapse of the Soviet Union, but Putin refused to rule out the possibility that it could resume such tests.
He noted that the United States had not ratified the treaty banning nuclear tests, while Russia had signed and ratified it. In theory, it would be possible for the Duma, Russia’s parliament, to revoke its ratification, he said.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu (center right) and Defense Ministers of the Council of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) visit a military plant in Tula, Russia. AP
Military analysts say a resumption of nuclear testing by Russia, the United States or both would be deeply destabilizing at a time when tensions between the two countries are higher than at any time in the past 60 years.
In February, Putin suspended Russia’s participation in the New START treaty that limits the number of nuclear weapons each side can deploy.
But Putin said there was no need for Russia to rewrite its doctrine on the actual use of nuclear weapons, which says it can fire them either in response to a nuclear attack on it or in the event of a threat to the state’s existence.
In response to a question from Russian analyst Sergei Karaganov, who has advocated lowering the threshold for nuclear use, Putin said: “I just don’t see the need for this.”
He added: “Today there is no situation in which, let’s say, something could threaten Russian statehood and the existence of the Russian state. No. I think that no person in his right mind and with a clear memory would think of using nuclear weapons against Russia.”
Karaganov has surprised Russian and Western strategic analysts by arguing that it is time for Russia to lower its nuclear use threshold to “contain, scare and calm our opponents.”
In a recent article he wrote that Russia should “shake” its enemies by threatening nuclear attacks against European countries and American bases in Europe.
Categories: Trending
Source: vtt.edu.vn