WASHINGTON, April 9. /TASS/. The US authorities’ claims that Russia has been developing a military doctrine "escalation for de-escalation" are inconsistent with the reality, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov told reporters on Monday.
"The notorious concept "escalation for de-escalation" allegedly stipulating the possibility of becoming the first to use "a limited low-yield nuclear strike" is another flagrant example of the unwillingness to hear us. There is such a feeling that the idea that Russia allegedly in its military planning bears in mind using the above mentioned concept has been deliberately imposed on the mindset of some US experts," the diplomat said.
"Certainly, this perception is wrong," Antonov stressed.
He referred to the Russian government’s documents and recalled the explanations given in this respect earlier by Russian President Vladimir Putin. "I call on all those who doubt to familiarize themselves with Provision 27 of the Russian Military Doctrine," the ambassador said.
It clearly says that Russia reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in response to the use against it (or) its allies nuclear and other types of weapons of mass destruction and also in case of aggression against Russia with the use of conventional weapons, when the mere existence of the state is put at risk, he noted.
"So, as Vladimir Putin said: "In our concept of using nuclear weapons there is no preventive strike," Antonov stressed. "Our concept is a retaliatory counter-strike," the ambassador said, citing the president.