Putin: Russia will develop its nuclear triad to guarantee deterrence
3 Min Read
The Russian president stresses the importance of Russia's nuclear arsenal, as the West heightens tensions.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a ceremony to congratulate graduates of higher military schools of the Defence and Emergencies ministries, the Federal Security Service, the Federal Guard Service, the Federal Service of National Guard Troops, the Interior Ministry, the Investigative Committee, and the Federal Penitentiary Service at the Kremlin's St. George Hall in Moscow, Russia, on June 21, 2024. (AP)
Russia will continue to develop its arsenal of nuclear weapons, the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin said on Friday.
The Russian president addressed the attendees of a ceremony for military, police, and intelligence service graduates at the Kremlin, where he emphasized Russia's military arsenal as a deterrent.
He said that Moscow will supply its army on the frontline with the latest weaponry and drones to fight Ukrainian forces.
"We plan to further develop the nuclear triad as a guarantee of strategic deterrence and to preserve the balance of power in the world," Putin emphasized.
Russia's nuclear triad is comprised of land, sea, and air-launched nuclear missiles, which award Moscow the ability to deliver its nuclear warheads at enemy targets.
The country does not only have the largest nuclear arsenal in the world but it also owns some of the most sophisticated targeting systems, which include a flurry of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), strategic submarine-launched missiles, and nuclear-capable cruise missiles.
Read more: Russian nuclear-powered submarine, other vessels dock in Havana
Russia reconsiders its nuclear doctrine
On Thursday, Putin announced that Russia is contemplating revisions to its nuclear doctrine in response to recent developments, which could see the threshold of using nuclear weapons lowered.
The president's remarks were made amid growing discussions in Western circles about the use of nuclear weapons, necessitating a proportional response from Moscow given the critical importance of nuclear warfare to humanity's continuity.
Speaking at a press conference during his visit to Vietnam, Putin expressed concerns over emerging technologies, including ultra-low power nuclear devices being discussed by Western experts.
"Now we are also thinking about what and how could be changed in the nuclear doctrine, in the strategy. And it is connected with this. It is connected with the fact that there are new — in any case, we know that the probable enemy is working on it — new elements related to lowering the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons," Putin said.
Putin dismissed the necessity of a preemptive nuclear strike clause in Russia's doctrine as he expressed confidence in Russia's capability to respond effectively to any aggression with a retaliatory strike.
Read more: Putin warns of nuclear war risk, says targets in West within reach
