Russian foreign minister says West should study Moscow’s updated nuclear doctrine in wake of Ukrainian ATACMS strikes
Speaking at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Ukrainian strikes overnight on November 18 against Russia’s Bryansk region using American ATACMS missiles signal the West’s efforts to escalate the war:
This is, of course, a signal that they want escalation. It’s impossible to use these high-tech missiles without the Americans, as Putin has repeatedly stated. And he warned about how our position would change if this long-range capability — which they’re now saying is up to 300 kilometers [185 miles] — were approved. Essentially, this is not just approval for Ukraine to use long-range missiles; it’s a declaration that we will now face strikes up to 300 kilometers.
Lavrov also advised Western leaders to study Russia’s updated nuclear doctrine. When asked if Tuesday’s ATACMS strike on Bryansk might be grounds for a nuclear response, Lavrov said Moscow is “convinced that nuclear weapons are meant above all to prevent the outbreak of nuclear war.” “And that’s precisely how we view this situation,” explained Russia’s foreign minister.
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