MOSCOW, April 24. /TASS/. Poland and France's plans to hold nuclear exercises near Russia's borders undermine strategic stability and are dangerous, for the initiators in the first place, because Russia’s nuclear doctrine calls for a timely response to threats, Leonid Slutsky, the head of the State Duma’s committee on international affairs and leader of the LDPR Party, told TASS.
Earlier, the media said France and Poland plan to conduct exercises over the Baltic Sea with the participation of Rafale fighters "with nuclear warheads" to practice strikes on Russian targets.
"Such plans, if they are really hatched, undermine strategic stability and the nuclear deterrence regime. But they are dangerous, first of all, for Poland and France. Russia's updated nuclear doctrine quite clearly regulates both challenges and threats, and timely response to them," the deputy said, noting that "only kamikazes" can try to flex "nuclear muscles" near Russia's borders.
Slutsky also said that statements by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk that, allegedly, soon Russia may attack one of the NATO countries, indirectly confirm reports about the possible holding of nuclear exercises by Paris and Warsaw near the borders of Russia. "Both are deliberate provocations," he said.