In a significant revelation, President Vladimir Putin announced on Thursday that Russia had conducted a successful test of a cutting-edge strategic missile. He did not rule out the possibility of future weapons trials, which could even involve nuclear detonations—a development not witnessed for over three decades.
Putin disclosed, for the first time, the triumphant testing of the Burevestnik, a nuclear-powered cruise missile boasting both nuclear capabilities and a potential range spanning thousands of miles.
In addition to this revelation, during an annual gathering attended by analysts and journalists, Putin disclosed that Russia was nearing the completion of its Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile system, a pivotal component of their new generation of nuclear armaments.
This declaration came in the wake of Putin’s persistent efforts to underscore Russia’s nuclear prowess, particularly since the initiation of the Ukraine invasion on February 24, 2022. Putin asserted that deploying nuclear weapons against Russia would be an act of sheer folly, emphasizing that in the event of such an aggression, “such a number of our missiles – hundreds, hundreds – would appear in the air that not a single enemy would have a chance of survival.”
It’s worth noting that Russia has refrained from conducting nuclear explosion tests since 1990, the year preceding the dissolution of the Soviet Union. However, Putin refrained from categorically ruling out the possibility of resuming such tests. He pointed out that while Russia had both signed and ratified the treaty banning nuclear tests, the United States had not ratified it. This could theoretically provide Russia’s parliament, the Duma, with the option to revoke its ratification.
Military analysts, however, express profound concerns about the potential ramifications of a resumption of nuclear testing by either Russia or the United States, especially given the current heightened tensions between the two nations, which are at their highest point in the last six decades. In February, Putin suspended Russia’s participation in the New START treaty, which imposes limits on the number of nuclear weapons each side can deploy.
Nonetheless, Putin maintained that there was no imperative need for Russia to revise its doctrine on the use of nuclear weapons, stipulating that such weapons could be employed either in response to a nuclear attack or when there’s a perceived threat to the state’s existence. Responding to a query from Russian analyst Sergei Karaganov, who has advocated for a lower threshold for nuclear utilization, Putin stated, “I simply don’t see the need for this.”
He further emphasized, “There is no situation today in which, say, something would threaten Russian statehood and the existence of the Russian state. No. I think no person of sound mind and clear memory would think of using nuclear weapons against Russia.”
It’s noteworthy that Karaganov’s stance, urging Russia to lower the threshold for nuclear use as a means to “contain, frighten, and sober up our opponents,” has raised eyebrows among both Russian and Western strategic analysts. In a recent article, he even suggested that Russia should “shake up” its adversaries by issuing nuclear threats against European nations and U.S. bases in Europe.
This revelation, delivered by President Putin, undoubtedly adds a new layer of complexity to the already intricate geopolitics of global security.
[REUTERS]