02:26President Vladimir Putin said Russia had no intention of being drawn into an 'arms race' but would maintain its nuclear forces 'at the level of necessary sufficiency', as he launched the Strategic Deterrence Forces drills on Tuesday.
"I would like to emphasise that we are not going to be drawn into a new arms race, but we will keep our nuclear forces at a level of necessary sufficiency. This year, they have been equipped at around 94 percent," Putin said.
The Russian leader also reiterated that the use of nuclear weapons would be "an extreme, exceptional measure to ensure the state's security."
"We fully recognise that the nuclear triad remains a reliable guarantee of our country's sovereignty and security, enabling us to achieve our strategic deterrence objectives, and uphold nuclear parity and the balance of power in the world, which are key factors in ensuring global stability," he added.
Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov added that a 'massive retaliatory strike' would be rehearsed in response to a simulated nuclear attack.
According to Russian Defence Ministry reports, a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from the Plesetsk cosmodrome, targeting the Kura training ground in far eastern Kamchatka. Sineva and Bulava missiles were launched from the Novomoskovsk submarine in the Barents Sea and Knyaz Oleg in the Sea of Okhotsk. Tu-95MC bombers were also deployed, firing air-launched cruise missiles.
In September, Moscow approved changes to the nuclear doctrine, with aggression by a 'non-nuclear state with support of nuclear state' now considered a 'joint attack' on Russia.
Russia won’t be 'drawn into arms race' but will keep nuclear forces at appropriate level - Putin launches Strategic Deterrence Forces exercises
President Vladimir Putin said Russia had no intention of being drawn into an 'arms race' but would maintain its nuclear forces 'at the level of necessary sufficiency', as he launched the Strategic Deterrence Forces drills on Tuesday.
"I would like to emphasise that we are not going to be drawn into a new arms race, but we will keep our nuclear forces at a level of necessary sufficiency. This year, they have been equipped at around 94 percent," Putin said.
The Russian leader also reiterated that the use of nuclear weapons would be "an extreme, exceptional measure to ensure the state's security."
"We fully recognise that the nuclear triad remains a reliable guarantee of our country's sovereignty and security, enabling us to achieve our strategic deterrence objectives, and uphold nuclear parity and the balance of power in the world, which are key factors in ensuring global stability," he added.
Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov added that a 'massive retaliatory strike' would be rehearsed in response to a simulated nuclear attack.
According to Russian Defence Ministry reports, a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from the Plesetsk cosmodrome, targeting the Kura training ground in far eastern Kamchatka. Sineva and Bulava missiles were launched from the Novomoskovsk submarine in the Barents Sea and Knyaz Oleg in the Sea of Okhotsk. Tu-95MC bombers were also deployed, firing air-launched cruise missiles.
In September, Moscow approved changes to the nuclear doctrine, with aggression by a 'non-nuclear state with support of nuclear state' now considered a 'joint attack' on Russia.
President Vladimir Putin said Russia had no intention of being drawn into an 'arms race' but would maintain its nuclear forces 'at the level of necessary sufficiency', as he launched the Strategic Deterrence Forces drills on Tuesday.
"I would like to emphasise that we are not going to be drawn into a new arms race, but we will keep our nuclear forces at a level of necessary sufficiency. This year, they have been equipped at around 94 percent," Putin said.
The Russian leader also reiterated that the use of nuclear weapons would be "an extreme, exceptional measure to ensure the state's security."
"We fully recognise that the nuclear triad remains a reliable guarantee of our country's sovereignty and security, enabling us to achieve our strategic deterrence objectives, and uphold nuclear parity and the balance of power in the world, which are key factors in ensuring global stability," he added.
Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov added that a 'massive retaliatory strike' would be rehearsed in response to a simulated nuclear attack.
According to Russian Defence Ministry reports, a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from the Plesetsk cosmodrome, targeting the Kura training ground in far eastern Kamchatka. Sineva and Bulava missiles were launched from the Novomoskovsk submarine in the Barents Sea and Knyaz Oleg in the Sea of Okhotsk. Tu-95MC bombers were also deployed, firing air-launched cruise missiles.
In September, Moscow approved changes to the nuclear doctrine, with aggression by a 'non-nuclear state with support of nuclear state' now considered a 'joint attack' on Russia.