07:20Russian President Vladimir Putin didn’t rule out that Moscow might revise and amend its nuclear doctrine should such a need arise, speaking at a plenary session of the 27th St Petersburg International Economic Forum on Friday.
"This doctrine is a living instrument, and we are carefully watching what is happening in the world and around us, and we do not exclude making some amendments to this doctrine," Putin said.
He emphasised that Russia never said it was 'ready to press the nuclear button' and would opt to use nuclear weapons only 'in case of threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country'.
The president also said that 'more than 160,000 people' voluntarily came to the military enlistment centres since the beginning of the year and there was 'no need to mobilise more people'.
"When we see what the Russian character is, what the character of a Russian citizen is, understand it and rely on it, we don't need any nuclear weapons for the ultimate victory," he added.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
SPIEF 2024, taking place from June 5-8, includes participants from over 136 countries. Since its inception in 1997, the forum has served as a platform for international dialogue on economic matters, with the patronage and participation of the Russian Federation's president since 2005.
Russia's nuclear doctrine is 'living instrument' and can be amended - Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin didn’t rule out that Moscow might revise and amend its nuclear doctrine should such a need arise, speaking at a plenary session of the 27th St Petersburg International Economic Forum on Friday.
"This doctrine is a living instrument, and we are carefully watching what is happening in the world and around us, and we do not exclude making some amendments to this doctrine," Putin said.
He emphasised that Russia never said it was 'ready to press the nuclear button' and would opt to use nuclear weapons only 'in case of threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country'.
The president also said that 'more than 160,000 people' voluntarily came to the military enlistment centres since the beginning of the year and there was 'no need to mobilise more people'.
"When we see what the Russian character is, what the character of a Russian citizen is, understand it and rely on it, we don't need any nuclear weapons for the ultimate victory," he added.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
SPIEF 2024, taking place from June 5-8, includes participants from over 136 countries. Since its inception in 1997, the forum has served as a platform for international dialogue on economic matters, with the patronage and participation of the Russian Federation's president since 2005.
Russian President Vladimir Putin didn’t rule out that Moscow might revise and amend its nuclear doctrine should such a need arise, speaking at a plenary session of the 27th St Petersburg International Economic Forum on Friday.
"This doctrine is a living instrument, and we are carefully watching what is happening in the world and around us, and we do not exclude making some amendments to this doctrine," Putin said.
He emphasised that Russia never said it was 'ready to press the nuclear button' and would opt to use nuclear weapons only 'in case of threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country'.
The president also said that 'more than 160,000 people' voluntarily came to the military enlistment centres since the beginning of the year and there was 'no need to mobilise more people'.
"When we see what the Russian character is, what the character of a Russian citizen is, understand it and rely on it, we don't need any nuclear weapons for the ultimate victory," he added.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
SPIEF 2024, taking place from June 5-8, includes participants from over 136 countries. Since its inception in 1997, the forum has served as a platform for international dialogue on economic matters, with the patronage and participation of the Russian Federation's president since 2005.