Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said in an interview with Vedomosti that Moscow could resort to nuclear weapons if the conditions set out in its nuclear doctrine were met. He added that the final decision belongs to the head of state.
Medvedev said his remarks on the use of nuclear weapons should not be treated as mere hints. He said this option could genuinely be used in certain circumstances, adding that the conditions for its use are set out in detail in the foundational documents of Russia’s nuclear deterrence policy.
Moscow’s assessment of a joint attack
Referring to the doctrine approved by the Russian president, Medvedev argued that Moscow considers an attack on Russia or Belarus by a non-nuclear state with the participation or support of a nuclear-armed state to be a joint attack.
Medvedev said Russia would have the right to respond to a critical threat to its sovereignty in such a situation. He claimed that the actions of Western countries and Ukraine could contribute to rising nuclear tensions and that these steps could trigger a global conflict.
Warning of a third world war
Medvedev cited the attack on the Kursk region, attacks on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and what he described as daily attacks on Russian cities among examples of this risk. He argued that these actions were aggressive steps that could start a third world war.
Medvedev warned that such a development could have irreversible consequences for humanity. He said Russia understood the consequences of using nuclear weapons and was seeking to prevent a global catastrophe.
Emphasis on the nuclear option as a last resort
Medvedev claimed that Russia’s military capabilities were sufficient to launch heavy attacks against Kyiv and NATO’s main elements, adding that this would create an irreversible threshold for the entire world.
Describing the use of nuclear weapons as the last option available if all other means proved ineffective, Medvedev said global risks were increasing and that Russia’s patience was not unlimited.
