Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered troops to practice near Ukraine nuclear weapons scenarios in an attempt to 'deter' adversaries following perceived threats of escalation by Western leaders.
Military exercises will include exercises for the preparation and deployment of non-strategic nuclear weapons, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
The ministry said today that the exercises would be carried out “in response to provocative statements and threats made by certain Western officials against the Russian Federation.”
The ministry did not identify which officials had led the radical response. In recent weeks there have been comments from Britons Minister of Foreign Affairs Lord Cameron and the French President Emmanuel Macron about Russia have drawn the ire of officials.
A Russian diplomat said this today Moscow should increase its entire missile arsenal as a deterrent after what was considered the worst breakdown in relations since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.
“We are now at the stage of open confrontation, which, I hope, will not result in direct armed conflict,” Russian Ambassador Grigory Mashkov told state news agency RIA.
File photo. A Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile will be launched by Russia in April 2022
Russian 'Yars' intercontinental ballistic missile launchers are on display during the dress rehearsal of the Victory Day military parade on Red Square in Moscow, Russia, May 5, 2024
Mashkov added that it will now be necessary to “take further steps to strengthen the country's defense capabilities, including building up the missile arsenal, to deter any potential enemy from testing Russia's strength.”
Mashkov said Russia is already doing a lot in this area, but more is needed given the growing threat from the West and technological advances in most types of missiles, from tactical to intercontinental.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Russia will spend 7.1% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on the military in 2024, or more than a third of total government spending.
As part of a new push for “deterrence,” Russia is also said to have commissioned a leading Russian political scientist to explore possible avenues for pushing back what is seen as an advancing West, including nuclear deterrence.
Sergey Karganov, a longtime advisor to Putin and his predecessor Boris Yeltsin, has done so Reportedly was commissioned to conduct eight studies on topics including the 'theory and practice of nuclear deterrence' within the context of Russia's current political climate, and how Russia could 'develop' such a deterrent together with Russia, China, India and Pakistan.
The 71-year-old, who currently heads the Council for Foreign and Defense Policy, is notable for his post-USSR doctrine which suggests that Russia should aim to use Russian minorities living nearby to increase its influence in former spread and maintain dominions.
Last year he called on Russia to launch nuclear strikes on Europe as a pre-emptive measure to resolve the conflict in Ukraine and restore the perceived authority of the nuclear threat.
The escalation of Russian nuclear rhetoric follows weeks of more vocal threats from the West to intervene in the conflict in Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron recently told The Economist that he “absolutely” supports his promises to gain a foothold in Ukraine if push comes to shove.
“As I said, I am not ruling anything out because we are dealing with someone who is not ruling anything out,” he told the magazine in an interview published last Thursday.
Macron has also called on Europe to reduce dependence on the United States and develop independent capabilities to counter hostile foreign actors.
In February, Putin warned Macron that if France sent troops to Ukraine, they would suffer the same fate as Napoleon Bonaparte's Grand Armée, whose invasion in 1812 ended in staggering defeat and enormous losses.
British Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron also drew condemnation from Russia after telling reporters in Kiev that Ukraine could use British-supplied missiles as it saw fit, including firing them into Russian territory.
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during the conference of the All-Russian Popular Front on January 25, 2016 in Stavropol, Russia
A firefighter works at a Russian drone attack site in Kharkiv, Ukraine, May 4, 2024
The Kremlin called Lord Cameron's statement a “direct escalation” of the war in Ukraine that is “considered dangerous for European security.”
Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday's comments could endanger the entire system of Europe's security architecture – and singled out Macron as he condemned perceived threats from the West.
'The explanation [from Macron] is very important and very dangerous,” Peskov told reporters on Friday.
Macron 'continues to talk about the possibility of direct involvement on the ground in the conflict surrounding Ukraine. This is a very dangerous trend,” he added.
Peskov said the recent statements by Macron and Cameron “potentially pose a danger to European security, to the entire European security architecture.”
'We see a dangerous tendency to escalate in official statements. This is of concern to us,” he added.
Experts following developments in the war suggest that Macron's comments reflect a new approach to “strategic ambiguity” that reflects threats from Russia.
Vlad Şutea, founder and chief analyst at the Early Warning and Threat Group T-intelligencetold MailOnline: 'Macron is one of the few Western European leaders who understands the value of strategic ambiguity.
'Putin is not taking anything off the table, and neither should we. And that also includes sending troops, in whatever capacity.”
'There is a good chance that Macron and other European leaders have outlined implicit thresholds that could give rise to direct Western intervention.
“A scenario that warrants action could lead to a collapse of the front in the East, which would lead to further Russian advances, threatening cities like Kiev, Odessa and, albeit less likely, western regions like Lviv .
'Our interpretation is that intra-NATO discussions on this subject have not been as hypothetical as expected.
“It should be remembered that France also recently signed a security agreement with Moldova and has a robust presence in Romania as part of the NATO battle group that will be elevated to brigade level in 2025.”
He suggested that criticism of Macron, claiming the comments could lead to nuclear Armageddon, was playing into the Kremlin's hands.
“This appears to be typical pro-Russian scaremongering aimed at deterring bold Western action,” he said. “The real irresponsibility lies in avoiding confrontation with Russia.”
“Weakness invites aggression and this is especially relevant when we talk about Putin's Russia.”