MOSCOW, May 10 - RIA Novosti. The principles and conditions for the use of nuclear weapons by Moscow are set out in the military doctrine of the Russian Federation, it is necessary to look for answers to the question whether a preventive tactical strike on the territory of Ukraine from Russia is possible, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told RIA Novosti.
"We have a military doctrine, everything is written there. It does not give any other interpretation, except what is there in black and white," Grushko said, answering the question whether Moscow excludes the possibility of a preventive tactical nuclear strike on the territory of Ukraine.
In June 2020, the foundations of the state policy of the Russian Federation in the field of nuclear deterrence were approved by the decree of the President of Russia. This document defines the principles of nuclear deterrence, as well as the conditions for the transition of the Russian Federation to the use of nuclear weapons.
According to the document, the conditions determining the possibility of the use of nuclear weapons by the Russian Federation are: the receipt of reliable information about the launch of ballistic missiles attacking the territories of Russia and (or) its allies, the use of nuclear weapons or other types of weapons of mass destruction by the enemy on the territories of Russia and (or) its allies, the enemy's impact on critically important state or military objects of the Russian Federation, the disabling of which will lead to the disruption of the response actions of nuclear forces, aggression against Russia with the use of conventional weapons, when the very existence of the state is threatened.
