Russia will use Nukes in war

Lowering the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons, Russia has said it reserves the right to hit back with nukes in case of an aggression, in a new doctrine.

“Russia reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in response to the use of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction against it and its allies, as well as an aggression against the Russian Federation with the use of conventional weapons jeopardising the very existence of the state,” a military doctrine signed by the President, Mr Dmitry Medvedev, said.

Some foreign diplomats believe that the lowering of threshold for the nuclear weapons could be a veiled warning to China, which has an overwhelming numerical advantage over Russia with the total population less than 147 million. A retired Soviet general, on the condition of anonymity, said after 1968 border conflict with China, the Soviet General Staff had virtually given up the concept of a conventional war with “our great Asian neighbour”, the new doctrine has publicly stated the stance.

Expansion of Nato closer to Russia, deployment of missile shields near its borders, terrorism, and growing number of nuclear powers have also been identified as the external threats for the nation.