Putin Ratchets Up Nuclear Rhetoric

Russian President Vladimir Putin said yesterday that his government would increase the readiness of its nuclear force to respond to aggression, the Xinhua News Agency reported (see GSN, Nov. 16).

“Enhancing the combat readiness of the strategic nuclear force remains one of the most important tasks,” he told senior officers, according to ITAR-Tass.  “It must be capable of a quick and proportionate response to any aggressor.”

Russia this year resumed long-range flights of strategic bombers (see GSN, Oct. 2) and has increased the rate of test launches of long-range missiles, Xinhua reported (see GSN, Oct. 30).

Putin yesterday lashed out at NATO for “muscle-flexing” near his nation, the Associated Press reported.

“In violation of previous agreements, military resources of NATO members are being built up next to our borders,” he said in televised remarks.  “Of course, we cannot allow ourselves to remain indifferent to this obvious muscle-flexing.”

The Russian leader said he would not reverse his nation’s suspension of the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty until Western nations ratify the pact restricting deployment of heavy conventional armaments on the continent.

“We won’t observe any obligations unilaterally,” Putin said.  “Our partners haven’t ratified the amended version of the treaty, and some haven’t even signed it.  Shall we do it unilaterally for years?”

The suspension of Russia’s commitment to the treaty is scheduled to begin Dec. 12, AP reported.

Putin also took aim again at U.S. plans to deploy 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a missile defense radar in the Czech Republic.  He said Washington has spurned his offer to develop a joint missile defense system.  Moscow’s proposal would replace the Czech site with existing radars in Azerbaijan and southern Russia, but U.S. officials said those facilities could complement but not eliminate planned missile shield components (see GSN, Oct. 26).

“Regrettably, Russian proposals about the creation of a joint missile defense system with equal access for all its participants have remained unanswered,” Putin said (Vladimir Isachenkov, Associated Press/International Herald Tribune, Nov. 20).

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