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Russia Will Respond to U.S. Missile Defense by Increasing Its Nuclear Arsenal

Russian nuclear missile. Credit: CC/Vitaly V. Kuzmin

Russian Ambassador-at-Large Grigory Mashkov published an article Jan. 30 in the Russian Foreign Ministry’s journal International Affairs which stated that Russia may lift quantitative and qualitative restrictions on its nuclear weapons program, in response to U.S. plans to develop a missile defense system and its stated policy of “inflicting strategic damage on Russia.”

The Mashkov policy statement comes within days of President Donald Trump’s Jan. 27 issuing an Executive Order for the development and deployment of a land and space-based laser missile defense system, and just months after Russia’s revision of its overall nuclear doctrine. Mashkov, who is also Member of the Scientific Council of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, wrote:

“In the emerging realities, it is no longer possible to talk about strategic stability in its classical bilateral context, or else we may plunge into another illusion. There have appeared many actors on the international arena that influence the global missile lineup of forces. It is not ruled out that in the current conditions of confrontation with the West, with its policy of inflicting strategic damage on Russia, we may face the need for moving away from restrictions on nuclear and missile arsenals in favor of their quantitative and qualitative increase.”

He added that the proposed U.S. global missile defense system “puts an end to the prospects of strategic offensive arms reduction and preservation of strategic stability on the previous terms.”

“A missile arms race is already in full swing. So is the large-scale modernization of nuclear arsenals and WMD delivery vehicles. The militarization of space is gaining momentum, which, in the near future, is likely to become another scene of military confrontation. New technologies (artificial intelligence, quantum computers, etc.), which can multiply the enemy’s potential in strategic areas, including missile defense, are beginning to play a role here,” Mashkov added.

“We will have to take a fresh look at all our commitments in the area of strengthening transparency and confidence-building measures, and suspend discussions on nuclear risks and threats, which are becoming empty talk in the context of growing efforts by the West to undermine strategic and non-strategic nuclear deterrent forces. In general, other areas of arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation should be better aligned with U.S. global dominance ambitions. It is difficult to judge whether our policy of cooperation with the Americans only in areas which they are interested in is reasonable, if at all,” he concluded.