Moscow: Abandoning a longstanding Soviet policy, Russia now would consider launching nuclear missiles in a first strike if it or its allies were attacked with conventional weapons, a top official confirmed Nov.3.
The United States and other Western powers have repeatedly refused to rule out a first strike, arguing that such a pledge would diminish the deterrent value of their nuclear arsenals and limit their military options.
The new Russian policy is part of a military doctrine approved by President Boris Yeltsin.
Former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, speaking at the United Nations in June 1982, made a unilateral commitment not to use nuclear weapons first.
This formed the backbone of the Soviet Union’s military and political strategy for years. The new doctrine states that Russia’s military mission is primarily defensive and that no nation is considered a potential enemy.
Valery Manilov, deputy secretary of the country’s top policymaking Security Council, said the policy allows use of nuclear weapons “against states, nu clear or nonnuclear which have undertaken aggression against Russia or supported such aggression.”
Article extracted from this publication >> November 12, 1993
