Russia is being urged to clearly declare its willingness to use nuclear weapons against countries supporting Ukraine, with a former Kremlin adviser saying it could launch an attack on a NATO country without triggering Armageddon.
Sergei Karaganov, head of Russia’s Council on Foreign and Defence Policy, made the bold comment to Kommersant newspaper as he pressed President Vladimir Putin to take a more assertive nuclear stance towards the West.
Karaganov suggested in Wednesday’s interview that Moscow should consider a limited nuclear strike against a NATO country to signal its readiness to escalate hostilities if necessary, without provoking a full-scale conflict.
He said the main goal of Russian nuclear doctrine “should be to ensure that all current and future enemies are confident that Russia is ready to use nuclear weapons.”
The foreign policy adviser argued that Russia’s current nuclear doctrine, adopted in 2020, which only allows nuclear retaliation in the event of a nuclear attack or existential threat, is inadequate.
Russia is encouraged to show its readiness to use nuclear weapons in response to any major attack or occupation of its territory, as a means of deterrence. Pictured: Russia’s deadly 208-tonne hypersonic intercontinental ballistic missile and 15,880 rounds of “Satan-2” ammunition
The current Russian nuclear doctrine, adopted in 2020, only allows for nuclear retaliation in the event of a nuclear attack or an existential threat. Pictured: a Russian BTR-82A armored personnel carrier and Yars intercontinental ballistic missile systems
Vladimir Putin has previously expressed hope that a nuclear exchange with the West will never take place.
The doctrine clearly stipulates that preemptive nuclear strikes are prohibited, but Karaganov stressed that this approach effectively strips Russia’s military and foreign policy of nuclear deterrence.
He criticised the approach as “irresponsible and even suicidal”, saying it fails to deter adversaries and could lead to Russia’s “decline” and possibly even collapse if left unchecked.
According to Karaganov, Russia must assert its right to use weapons in response to any major attack or occupation of its territory, as a means of deterrence.
“We have allowed the situation to deteriorate to the point where our adversaries believe that we will not use nuclear weapons under any circumstances,” Karaganov said.
He insisted that Russia should declare any large-scale attack on its territory as justification for a nuclear response, stressing the need for Moscow to include clear “nuclear escalation” steps in the upcoming doctrine.
This, he believes, would remove any doubt about Russia’s readiness to use its nuclear arsenal.
“It is time for us to declare that any massive attack on our territory gives us the right to respond with a nuclear attack,” he said.
“It is time to declare that we have the right to respond to any massive attack on our territory with a nuclear strike. This also applies to any occupation of our territory,” he added.
In the interview, Kommersant journalist Elena Chernenko asked Karaganov how he could be sure that the policy he advocated would not lead to a full-scale nuclear war.
“The claim that any limited use of nuclear weapons will necessarily lead to a general nuclear Armageddon does not stand up to criticism,” he said.
‘I assure you that all nuclear powers have plans for the calibrated use of nuclear weapons in certain scenarios.’
Karaganov added: “I am not calling for a dangerous path to be taken, I am calling for saving the world and Russia. Either we win this war or we will disintegrate.”
“The West can fight on and on, this war is in its best interest. And I am not calling for a nuclear war at all, I would very much like to not get to that point, but to stop before we have to make a terrible decision.”
The remarks come just weeks after Ukraine captured a section of Russia’s Kursk region, which Moscow is still trying to recapture, and as kyiv seeks permission from its Western allies to deploy long-range missiles for deep strikes into Russian territory.
Karaganov also warned that failure to strengthen Russia’s nuclear deterrent could lead to a series of wars that could escalate into a Third World War within a few years.
Such a catastrophic failure “would plunge the world into a series of wars that would inevitably turn nuclear and end in World War III,” he said.
Karaganov’s views, while not constituting official policy, are closely followed by Western security experts as they reflect the more hawkish elements within Russia’s strategic discussions.
But despite his recommendations, Putin has maintained a more cautious attitude.
Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in June, Putin stressed that Russia was “not brandishing” its nuclear weapons and expressed hope that a nuclear exchange with the West would never take place.
Some Western analysts say Karaganov serves a useful function for the Kremlin by expressing views that alarm the West while making Putin appear calm and moderate by comparison.
