The threat of nuclear war is growing, but Russia does not intend to be the first to use nuclear weapons. Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on this topic at a meeting with members of the Human Rights Council (HRC) on Wednesday, December 7.
Svetlana Makovetskaya, Director of the Foundation Center for Civil Analysis and Independent Research Grani, raised the relevant question at the meeting. She drew attention to the fears of many regarding a nuclear conflict and asked the head of state to make a statement that “Russia will under no circumstances be the first to use nuclear weapons.”
“Regarding the fact that Russia will not use the first under any circumstances: well, if it does not use the first under any circumstances, then it will not use the second either, because the possibilities of using it in the event of a nuclear strike on our territory are very limited,” Putin answered.
He stressed that Russia is aware of what nuclear weapons are and is not going to brandish them. Putin also called the presence of nuclear weapons in Moscow not a provoking factor, but a deterrent.
Earlier, at the end of October, Putin pointed out that Russia had never said anything about the possibility of using nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, for example, former British Prime Minister Liz Truss spoke directly about its possible use by London. The President then said that the policy of the West is a “dangerous, bloody and dirty game in which the interests of other states are not taken into account.”
Putin recalled that it was former British Prime Minister Liz Truss who said earlier that she would be ready to use nuclear weapons if necessary.
In early November, the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry published a statement about the need to prevent nuclear war. In it, Moscow called on the countries of the “nuclear five” to stop encouraging provocations with the use of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
At the same time, on November 17, it became known that Russia and the United States agreed not to use nuclear weapons. This was reported by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, noting that such an agreement was reached in Ankara.
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