Defense & Intelligence Policy, Business and Technology

Russia is ‘ahead of competition’ with latest weapons, but won’t use nukes first, Putin says

Military Times: President Vladimir Putin hailed new missiles in Russia’s military arsenals but emphasized Thursday that the country would only use its nuclear weapons in response to an incoming missile attack.

He voiced confidence that Russia could resist Western pressure and expressed hope that U.S. President Donald Trump eventually would move to repair fractured ties with Russia.

Speaking at an international policy forum in Sochi, Putin noted that Russia’s military doctrine doesn’t envisage a preventative nuclear strike. He said Moscow only would tap its nuclear arsenal if early warning systems spotted missiles heading toward Russia.

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