Russia to keep nuclear arms ready for action

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that the country will keep its nuclear weapons and aerospace defense ready for action.

“We are not going to engage in an arms race, but no one should doubt the efficiency and reliability of our nuclear potential and our aerospace defense,” RIA Novosti quoted Putin as saying at a meeting on the country’s defense program.

“Nuclear weapons remain the main guarantee of Russia’s sovereignty and its territorial integrity, it plays a key role in maintaining global and regional stability and balance,” Putin added.

Vladimir Putin, Russian President

The Russian president also lauded the country’s aerospace defenses and asked the military and weapons designers to keep the weaponry constantly ready and be on the vigil for potential enemy plans for development of offensive weapons.

“It must remain on constant alert, take account of potential aggressor’s plans for development of attack instruments, provide neat and rapid interaction with other branches of the Armed Forces,” Putin said.
 

He noted that Russia has set up a USD-600-billion fund to upgrade 85 percent of its strategic nuclear weapons arsenal and up to 70 percent of its defensive aerospace weapons by 2020.

Earlier in the month and in a speech to Russian ambassadors, serving across the world, Putin condemned the West for its interventionism and adoption of "missile-bomb democracy" in its approach to international disputes.

The Russian chief executive also urged the ambassadors to be on guard against aggressive attitude on the part of Moscow's Cold-War era enemies.