Dec. 9, 2022
On Dec. 7, Putin had said that “If Russia does not use nuclear weapons first, it won’t use them second, either.” A reporter for Russia’s Channel One noted that the statement had “caused an uproar,” and asked Putin to clarify.
The center of Putin’s carefully-delivered, long response (available in full on the Kremlin site) was this:
“The United States has this theory of a preventive strike. This is the first point. Now the second point. They are developing a system for a disarming strike. What does that mean? It means striking at control centers with modern high-tech weapons to destroy the opponent’s ability to counterattack, and so on....
“There were plans to deliver a preventive disarming strike with hypersonic weapons. The United States does not have these weapons, but we do. Regarding a disarming strike, perhaps we should think about using the achievements of our U.S. partners and their ideas about how to ensure their own security. We are just thinking about this. No one was shy about discussing it out loud in the past. This is the first point.
“The United States has a theory and even practice. They have the concept of a preventive strike in their strategy and other policy documents. We do not. Our Strategy talks about a retaliatory strike....
“After the early warning system receives a signal indicating a missile attack, hundreds of our missiles are launched and they cannot be stopped. But it is still a retaliatory strike. What does that mean? It means that enemy missile warheads will fall on the territory of the Russian Federation. This cannot be avoided. They will fall anyway. True, nothing will remain of the enemy, because it is impossible to intercept hundreds of missiles. And this is, without a doubt, a potent deterrent.
“But if a potential adversary believes it is possible to use the preventive strike theory, while we do not, this still makes us think about the threat that such ideas in the sphere of other countries’ defense pose to us. That is all I have to say about that.”
Published in EIR Dec. 12, 2022: https://larouchepub.com/pr/2022/20221212_putin_answers.html
Feb. 21, 2023
Near the end of his annual address to the Federal Assembly, Putin announced that Russia would be suspending its participation in New START, the treaty which limits the numbers of U.S. and Russian strategic warheads and which expires in 2026 with little prospect for its replacement. He put the Russian decision in the context of U.S./NATO demands that Russia adhere to everything it has agreed to, including New START, while they will do whatever they want, including seeking the strategic defeat of Russia. Putin also cited the matter of the British and French strategic arsenals which are not included in any arms control treaty but must be accounted for in Russian strategic policy nonetheless.
“We are aware of the fact that certain types of U.S. nuclear weapons are reaching the end of their service life,” Putin continued. “In this regard, we know for certain that some politicians in Washington are already pondering live nuclear tests, especially since the United States is developing innovative nuclear weapons. There is information to that effect.
“Given these circumstances, the Defense Ministry and Rosatom must make everything ready for Russia to conduct nuclear tests. We will not be the first to proceed with these tests, but if the United States goes ahead with them, we will as well. No one should harbor dangerous illusions that global strategic parity can be disrupted….”
Published in EIR, March 23, 2023: https://larouchepub.com/other/2023/5009-putin_nato_policy_represents_a.html
June 17, 2023
