Putin says Russia could adopt US preemptive strike concept

MOSCOW (AP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin mentioned on Friday that amid rising tensions between Russia and NATO, Moscow might adopt what he referred to as the US concept of utilizing pre-emptive army strikes in a blunt assertion.

“We’re just thinking about it. They have not shied away from speaking openly about it in recent years,” Putin said, referring to US politics while attending a summit of a Moscow-dominated economic alliance of ex-Soviet states in Kyrgyzstan.

For years, the Kremlin has expressed concern about US efforts to develop the so-called “Conventional Prompt Global Strike” capability, which envisages hitting an opponent’s strategic targets with precision-guided conventional weapons anywhere in the world within an hour.

“Speaking of the disarmament strike, perhaps it is value occupied with adopting the concepts of our US colleagues, their concepts about guaranteeing their safety,” Putin said with a thin smile, noting that such a pre-emptive strike was aimed at knocking out command facilities.

He claimed that Russia had already commissioned hypersonic weapons capable of delivering such a strike, while the US had not yet deployed them. He also claimed that Russia now has cruise missiles that outperform their US counterparts.

While Putin appeared to be referring to conventional precision-guided weapons when discussing possible imitation of US strategy, he specifically noted that the US has not ruled out the first use of nuclear weapons.

“If the potential adversary thinks they’ll apply the speculation of a pre-emptive strike and we do not, then we take into consideration the threats that such concepts pose to different nations’ defensive postures,” he said.

In Washington, advisers to President Joe Biden viewed Putin’s remarks as “saber rattling” and another veiled warning that he could use a tactical nuclear weapon, according to a US official who was not authorized to comment and spoke on condition of anonymity .

The official noted that Russian military doctrine has long stated that Moscow reserves the right to first use a nuclear weapon in response to large-scale military aggression.

John Erath, senior policy director of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, also viewed Putin’s statement as yet another attempt to increase the nuclear threat.

“He’s not fairly saying we will launch nuclear weapons, however he desires the dialogue within the US and Europe to be, ‘The longer this conflict goes on, the higher the specter of nuclear weapons could be,'” Erath said.

Asked at a Kremlin conference on Wednesday whether Russia could commit to not using a first strike, Putin replied that such a commitment could prevent Russia from tapping into its nuclear arsenal even if it were exposed to a nuclear attack.

“If by no means will it use it first, it means that it’ll not be the second both, as a result of the potential of utilizing it within the occasion of a nuclear strike on our territory will likely be severely restricted,” he replied.

He elaborated on that response on Friday, saying Russia’s nuclear doctrine is based on the “launch on warning” concept, which envisages the use of nuclear weapons in the face of an imminent nuclear attack detected by its early warning systems.

“When the early warning system will get a sign a few missile assault, we launch lots of of unstoppable missiles,” he said, smiling. “Enemy missile warheads would inevitably reach the territory of the Russian Federation. But nothing would be left of the enemy either, because it is impossible to intercept hundreds of missiles. And that, of course, is a deterrent factor.”

Russia’s nuclear doctrine says the country can use nuclear weapons when it faces a nuclear strike or when it faces a conventional weapons attack that threatens “the very existence” of the Russian state.

Since deploying Russian troops to Ukraine in February, Putin has repeatedly said Moscow is ready to use “all obtainable means” to protect its territory, dismissing Western criticism of nuclear saber-rattling.

“I perceive that for the reason that introduction of nuclear weapons, weapons of mass destruction, all individuals – all of humanity – are involved about what will occur to the planet and to all of us,” he said.

Speaking Friday to the US Strategic Command, which is responsible for the country’s nuclear weapons, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Putin’s repeated threats were irresponsible.

“As the Kremlin continues its merciless and unprovoked election marketing campaign in opposition to Ukraine, the entire world has seen Putin interact in deeply irresponsible nuclear saber-rattling,” he said, referring to Putin’s previous nuclear threats, without addressing his recent remarks. “So make no mistake, nuclear powers have an ideal accountability to keep away from provocative conduct, scale back the chance of proliferation and forestall escalation and nuclear conflict.”

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Aamer Madhani and Tara Copp in Washington contributed.

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