Professional paper

Millitary Doctrine of the Russian Federation

Robert Barić

Abstract

Military doctrine of the Russian Federation, published in November 1993, was the first step in Russian Federationís adaptation to her new post Cold War position: as the main threat to Russian Federation security, the doctrine considers local conflicts rather than possibility of great nuclear/conventional conflict with the USA and NATO. Also,
the military doctrine represents one of two key sources for defining Russiaís national interests - in the doctrine are included theses which will be elaborated in the National Security Concept of the Russian Federation published at the end of 1997, and new version of this document from January 2000. On the other hand, the military doctrine and the concept of national security of the Russian Federation are controversal concerning the question of nuclear weapon use. Both documents (together with recently published blueprint of new military doctrine) stated possibility of repelling conventional military attack with nuclear weapons (and even possibility of preventive first nuclear strike), which represents dangerous transformation of nuclear weapons from status of strategic deterrent weapons to weapon systems intended for operational and tactical use on the battlefield. This transformation
is primary caused by combat capabilities degradation of conventional component of the Russian Armed Forces. But with the beginning of NATO enlargement, deployment of new generation of tactical nuclear weapons could be Russian answer to NATO expansion.

Keywords

Russian Federation; military doctrine; security; national interests; nuclear weapons

Hrčak ID:

2997

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/2997

Publication date:

30.6.2000.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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