Russian national security strategy envisages fighting terrorism — Security Council chief

MOSCOW, December 22. /TASS/. The new version of Russia’s national security strategy envisages ways of struggle against radicalism and terrorism, National Security Council head Nikolay Patrushev has said.

"The draft describes ways of resisting the spread of radical ideology and its propaganda in the mass media," Patrushev told the government-published Rossiiskaya Gazeta daily in an interview. "The importance is emphasized of enhancing the protection of critical infrastructures, the individual, society and the state in general from the terrorist threat."

Patrushev said the new strategy declared outright that the tactic of replacing legitimate regimes with the use of "colour revolutions" and "hybrid wars" had resulted in the proliferation of terrorism, extremism and inter-ethnic hatred.

"The emergence of the terrorist organization calling itself the Islamic State and growth in its influence came as a result of a double standard policy, which some countries follow in the struggle with terrorism," Patrushev said. "Such irresponsible actions have brought about years-old instability in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and the war in Syria, the wide proliferation of weapons, organized crime, drug trafficking and systematic violation of the rights and freedoms of millions of people."

Russia’s new national security strategy prioritizes defense sector as industry driving force

Russia’s new national security strategy prioritizes the country’s defense sector as a driving force for the domestic industry’s modernization, Russian National Security Council Secretary went on to say.

The strategy’s new edition "notes the need to diversify the economy, remove its dependence on raw materials, switch to a new level of technological development and rational import substitution," Patrushev said in an interview with Rossiiskaya Gazeta daily.

"The defense and industrial sector is assigned the role of a driving force for production modernization. Tasks have been set to ensure energy security and territorial development," he added.

These two issues can’t be resolved without a transition to a new level of technological development, the revival of the role of science and the work to raise the quality of general, vocational and higher education, the secretary of Russia’s National Security Council said.

According to Patrushev, the implementation of the strategic national priority in the area of science, technology and education implies re-establishing a full research and production cycle, from fundamental research to the introduction of applied science achievements into production.

The new strategy specifies the tasks of ensuring security in health care, culture, environmental protection and rational nature management, Patrushev said.

"Our economy has demonstrated its ability to preserve and strengthen its potential amid the unstable global economy, the financial crisis that started in 2008 and restrictive measures purposefully imposed by some countries against Russia," the secretary of Russia’s National Security Council said.

"Nevertheless, the Russian economy is living through an uneasy period and, therefore, enhanced attention has been paid to the Economic Growth strategic national priority," Patrushev said.

NATO aggressive rather than defensive

The words about NATO’s "defensive" nature are only a cover for the alliance’s aggressive essence, Russian National Security Council head went on to say.

"The words of some Western leaders that NATO is only a defensive alliance established to ensure security in the world only cover the alliance’s aggressive nature," Patrushev told the government daily Rossiyskaya Gazeta in an interview.

He said threats connected with NATO’s activity present a greater danger for Russia.

"The urge to boost and modernize offensive potentials, deploy new types of armaments, create a global missile defense system, including around Russia, erodes the structure of global security," the Security Council secretary stated.

Patrushev said the United States, supported by a number of Western countries, plans to retain its domination in global affairs, so it is making attempts to restrict Russia’s independent foreign and domestic policy.

He said all these threats are taken into account in the new wording of the National Security Strategy of the Russian Federation.

"The current Strategy was adopted in 2009. Over these years it has shown its efficiency," Patrushev said. "Russia has demonstrated its ability to defend the sovereignty, independence, state and territorial integrity. Its role has grown in the resolution of the key international problems, settlement of interstate conflicts and crises."

"The national priorities, key principles of and approaches to ensuring national security.. remain unchanged in the new wording of the Strategy," the Russian Security Council secretary said.