Putin: We Will Respond Immediately to Any Nuclear Attack on Russia and Its Allies

Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, stated on Thursday, March 1, that Russia would respond immediately to any nuclear attack on the country or its allies. In front of the Federal Council, Putin discussed the Kremlin's nuclear strategy, saying, "We consider any use of nuclear weapons against Russia or its allies as a nuclear attack on Russian territory and will respond immediately." The Russian President also emphasized that if a conventional attack threatens Russia's existence, Moscow reserves the right to use nuclear weapons. In his speech to lawmakers, Putin announced that Russia has tested a range of nuclear systems, including a hypersonic intercontinental missile and stealth capabilities. This ballistic missile, according to Putin, is named "Sarmat" and weighs over two hundred tons. He stated that the range of this missile exceeds that of previous systems, asserting, "No missile defense system can intercept it." Unmanned submarines capable of carrying nuclear bombs and the development of a new nuclear cruise missile were other weapons that Putin announced for the Russian military. The Russian President also noted that balancing against U.S. military power has made the use of modern weapons necessary for Russia. He cited the U.S. withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2002 as a reason for the modernization of Russian weapons, stating, "They thought we would never be able to revive ourselves economically and militarily, which is why they did not take us seriously." Putin's remarks come as the U.S. Department of Defense had identified China and Russia as the "main challenges to U.S. prosperity and security" in January 2018. Jim Mattis, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, stated during the presentation of the U.S. defense strategy in 2018 that the United States is no longer unmatched in land, sea, space, and cyberspace as it once was. According to Mattis, the new challenges to the U.S. primarily come from great powers, not terrorism. The U.S. Secretary of Defense, without naming Russia or any other country, warned, "For those who want to threaten the experience of the U.S. in democracy: if you challenge us, you will see your longest and worst day." According to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Putin's annual speech to the Federal Parliament representatives is usually held in December. Some analysts believe that Putin has used this speech in March for election campaigning. Putin has refused to participate in televised debates with other candidates. Analysts say the Kremlin is concerned about the lack of voter turnout in the elections scheduled for March 18, the fourth anniversary of Russia's annexation of Crimea. The international community condemned Moscow's decision, and Russia has faced sanctions from the U.S. and the European Union, but Putin's supporters strongly welcomed this decision by the Kremlin.