Russia says it will use nuclear weapons if war broke out with NATO

February 18, 2012 – MOSCOW – Russia would use nuclear weapons in response to any imminent threat to its national security, Chief of the Russian General Staff Gen. Nikolai Makarov said on Wednesday. “We are certainly not planning to fight against the whole of NATO,” Makarov said in an interview with the Ekho Moskvy radio, “but if there is a threat to the integrity of the Russian Federation, we have the right to use nuclear weapons, and we will.” The general said Russia’s nuclear deterrent is the cornerstone of strategic stability and serious efforts are being taken by the Russian government to modernize the country’s nuclear triad. The Russian Defense ministry is planning to acquire at least 10 Borey class strategic nuclear submarines, thoroughly modernize its fleet of Tu-160 Blackjack and Tu-95 Bear strategic bombers, and equip its Strategic Missile Forces with formidable Yars mobile ballistic missile systems. Makarov also stressed the importance of maintaining highly-efficient, mobile conventional forces. “Unfortunately, we are facing threats from a number of unstable states, where no nuclear weapons but well-trained, strong and mobile Armed Forces are required to resolve any conflict situation,” Makarov said. –Rian 

Book Quote: “The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a virtual political Eastern-counter balancing force to the Western military alliance of NATO…member nations include China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan…the power of a SCO military alliance would be unrivaled and any conventional military clash with one of its elite member-nations could spiral into a nuclear confrontation to compensate, if for nothing else, for the sheer disproportionate number of military weapons under the NATO umbrella.” –The Extinction Protocol, page 78

contribution by Larry F.