Official publications or announcements from the Russian government

Kremlin Affirms Nuclear Deterrent Role as Lavrov Says Nuclear War Won't Happen Amidst Threats to Sovereignty

Nov 19, 2024, 02:10 PM

The Kremlin has reiterated Russia's stance on nuclear weapons, emphasizing their role as a deterrent. Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, stated that Russia reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in response to aggression against itself or Belarus, particularly if faced with a conventional attack that poses a critical threat to their sovereignty. Lavrov further asserted that Russia's updated nuclear doctrine aligns with existing understandings and does not introduce any new concepts that the West was unaware of. He expressed a strong commitment to preventing nuclear war, stating, 'we are strongly in favor of doing everything not to allow nuclear war to happen.' The officials maintained that nuclear weapons are viewed as a necessary deterrent, with Lavrov noting that Russia's nuclear doctrine does not differ from that of the United States.