Russia may boost nuclear potential: Minister

New York Statesman (IANS) Monday 6th February, 2012

Russia may have to boost its nuclear potential in the future amid emerging nuclear proliferation threats, Anatoly Antonov, Russia's deputy defence minister and a negotiator on the European missile shield, said Monday.

"New challenges emerge, including missile and nuclear proliferation. Look at how unstable the situation in the Middle East is. That's why Russia's military doctrine envisages the use of nuclear weapons in specific cases. I do not rule out that under certain circumstances we will have to boost, not cut, our nuclear arsenal," Antonov said in an interview with the Kommersant daily.

He named the US missile shield in Europe as a main threat to Russia's security.

"The situation is dismal in this area. The US continues to boost its missile defence potential in Europe and other regions. The European segment of the US missile defence demonstrates aspirations to shift the strategic balance of forces in Europe. After the Cold War, US strategic weapons - and missile defence is a strategic weapon - are getting closer to Russia's borders," Antonov said.

He also confirmed that Russian and US missile defence talks have reached deadlock as US cooperation proposals are vague and Russia's participation in the project "is not even up for discussion".

The deputy defence minister reiterated that Russia may quit the Russian-US treaty on strategic arms reduction, signed in 2010.

"This is one of possible variants of our retaliation measures. We have warned about it beforehand," he said.

--IANS/RIA Novosti

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