Moscow is evidently still hoping someone in the Western World will hear its nuclear war warnings. Reuters cited Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko, who oversees relations with Europe and NATO, telling the state RIA Novosti news agency this morning that Moscow perceives NATO to be increasing the role of nuclear weapons in its strategy. Russia, Grushko said, was updating its nuclear doctrine to send a signal “so that our opponents have no illusions about our readiness to ensure the security of the Russian Federation with all available means,” Grushko concluded his interview.
As if to reinforce that message, the Russian Defense Ministry reported yesterday that the strategic missile formation in Novosibirsk, equipped with Yars nuclear ICBMs, has deployed on combat patrol routes. “Strategic missile men conduct tasks and practice scenarios, including intensive maneuvering on combat patrol routes as part of a combat alert duty,” it said. “Yars mobile land-based missile systems perform marches of up to 100 kilometers, equip field positions, and organize camouflaging measures and combat outposts. Also, servicemen carry out tasks of countering mock enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups.”
Meanwhile, NATO’s Steadfast Noon annual nuclear exercise is about to kick off. It starts on Oct. 14 and runs for two weeks in the airspace of the United Kingdom, Denmark, and the Netherlands. Newsweek cites the Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat as reporting that Finland will be involved as a non-nuclear participant for the first time by deploying F-18 fighter jets to the exercise. After the completion of accession to NATO, Finland’s Defense Ministry said it would take part in the nuclear planning and support operations of the alliance. However, the country has also said that it would not permit the deployment of nuclear weapons on its territory.
