MOSCOW, May 31. /TASS/. Russia can respond to hostile actions with both economic and force methods, according to the new edition of the National security strategy, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said in an interview Monday.
"The new National security strategy edition underscores Russia’s intent to increase predictability, trust, and security in the international sphere," he noted.
According to Patrushev, "at the same time, it notes the legitimacy of symmetric and asymmetric reaction measures that could be taken in order to thwart or prevent hostile actions that pose a threat to Russia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity."
"First and foremost, an imposition of special economic measures, but, if needed, forceful coercion methods, too," the official said, answering a question whether he means military action.
Patrushev underscored that the Russian economy must be sustainable and resistant to sanctions pressure.
"In order to ensure the economic security, the Strategy defines tasks, aimed at the increase of Russia's competitiveness and resistance to external and internal threats, and at the establishment of conditions for economic growth at a rate that surpasses the global one," he listed.
According to Patrushev, "an important condition for ensuring the economic security is the reliance on Russia’s internal potential, independent solving of present tasks, with preservation of openness for mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries."
"At the same time, the leadership in science and technology becomes one of the key factor of increase of Russia’s competitiveness," Patrushev noted.
"In order to achieve national development goals, to ensure the technological independence of our country, it is necessary to extend the state support for the scientific and innovative activity, to attract private investments to their development and to speed up the introduction of our scientists’ work into production," the official said.
Russia's topmost security priority
Security Council Secretary noticed as well that "the new Russian National security strategy names preservation of the people of Russia as its topmost priority".
"The new edition of the strategy defines the preservation of people of Russia as its topmost priority, in accordance with the president’s Address to the Federal Assembly," the official said.
According to Patrushev, the document underscores that "only a harmonic combination of a powerful state and the welfare of man will ensure the prosperity of Russia and the establishment of a just society.
Patrushev underscored that, in order to preserve people, "it is necessary to make it a priority to achieve the increase in income of Russian citizens, to create a comfortable and safe living environment, to ensure the unconditional implementation of constitutional rights and guarantees in healthcare, ecology, sanitary welfare, social security, education and culture, across the entire country."
"The power of our state - is, first and foremost, our people. They must have a decent salary, good education, be provided with work, housing, and quality healthcare," Patrushev said.
He noted that every Russian national priority includes tasks, aimed at preservation of the people.