GORKI, February 2. /TASS/. Russia is adhering to its nuclear doctrine, which delineates the specific circumstances under which nuclear weapons may be employed. Since Moscow has not resorted to these weapons, it can be inferred that no significant threats have arisen to the country, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said in an interview with TASS, Reuters, and the Wargonzo project.
"Russia is acting strictly in accordance with its nuclear doctrine, and our head of state has repeatedly affirmed this. The current version of this doctrine, effective in 2024, includes paragraph 19, which explicitly enumerates the situations in which nuclear weapons may be used to counter more severe threats. The fact that Russia has not employed nuclear weapons indicates that such threats have not materialized," Medvedev explained when asked whether Russia had ever considered using nuclear weapons in Ukraine. He also addressed claims that former US President Joe Biden feared a Russian nuclear strike on Ukraine in 2022.
Medvedev further elaborated that the latest edition of the Fundamentals of Nuclear Deterrence accounts for the evolving nature of warfare and the emergence of new types of weapons.
"Today, nuclear weapons can be used not only as a retaliatory measure against a nuclear attack but also in response to the large-scale deployment of drones, missiles, and other delivery systems. This has broadened the criteria for their use. However, this does not mean that Russia’s supreme commander-in-chief decides whether or not to employ nuclear weapons in every such instance," Medvedev concluded.