Medvedev says nuclear doctrine 'not a mere hint,' Russia has 'every right' to respond

Russia's Deputy Security Council Chairman Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday rejected Western assertions that Moscow's nuclear warnings amount to bluster, declaring that the country's updated doctrine establishes concrete conditions for atomic weapons use. Speaking to the Vedomosti newspaper, the former president stated that the document specifies exact circumstances under which Russia would deploy its arsenal. "This is not a scare tactic; it is reality. Russia’s nuclear doctrine -- under which the country reserves the right to use such weapons if its security is threatened -- can hardly be described as a mere hint," he said.

Expanded conditions for use

Medvedev outlined that aggression against Russia or Belarus — formally united in a union state since 1999 — by any non-nuclear state with the participation or support of a nuclear power would be treated as a joint attack. "We have every right to respond to a critical threat to our sovereignty. The final decision will be made by the head of state," he told the Russian daily, noting that the revised doctrine has expanded the list of military threats warranting nuclear implementation.

Warnings of 'nuclear apocalypse'

The Security Council deputy head accused Western nations of attempting to bring the world to the "brink of nuclear apocalypse," identifying strikes on Russian urban centers among the aggressive actions that could spark World War III. He said that Russia's military capability would allow it to devastate the Ukrainian capital and critical NATO targets, leaving "not one stone left standing" — a scenario he described as an irreversible catastrophe for civilization.

"Yet, that represents a point of absolute no return for the entire planet, not merely for the warring parties. We recognize our responsibility for the fate of humanity and strive with all our might to avert a global catastrophe," Medvedev said, emphasizing that Moscow seeks to prevent disaster. He added, however, that Russian patience has limits: "However, our patience is not limitless. This ultimate option remains a last resort, to be used only when all other measures have failed. Today, we are but a few steps away from it -- mere seconds on the Doomsday Clock."