Russia releases new anti-NATO military doctrine

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In response to events such as NATO expansion and the American Prompt Global Strike concept, Russia has released a new military doctrine, outlining new goals for and perceived threats to the Russian military. The document, signed by President Vladimir Putin on Friday, updates the Moscow’s previous military doctrine from 2010.

Russia’s new doctrine retains some core concepts from the previous version, such as the pledge that Russia’s military forces should remain a defensive tool, only to be used as a last resort. The document also maintains Russia’s standing nuclear weapons doctrine, affirming that the weapons’ primary use is to deter attacks against the country, though they may be used to defend against an existential attack.

However, new sections of the document outline the growing threat Russia sees in NATO’s expansion and increased military presence in Eastern Europe. RT News reports that the document characterizes these actions as “global functions realized with violation of international law.”

The document also lists among the threats to Russia’s security, “the creation and deployment of global strategic antiballistic missile systems that undermines the established global stability and balance of power in nuclear missile capabilities, [and] the implementation of the ‘prompt strike’ concept, [as well as] intent to deploy weapons in space and deployment of strategic conventional precision weapons.”

While Moscow’s hostile attitude towards NATO makes headlines, the report also acknowledges that Russia faces threats from more traditional fronts, like extremism, terrorism and domestic political unrest.

The new Russian doctrine comes on the heels of a vote taken by the Ukraine parliament Tuesday to end the country’s neutral status, a necessary first step toward a bid for NATO membership. While it would likely take years for Ukraine to meet the qualifications for formal NATO membership, the move aggravated Moscow.

A NATO official speaking to Reuters said that the alliance respected Kiev’s move and asked Moscow to do the same.

“Should Ukraine decide to apply for NATO membership, NATO will assess its readiness to join the Alliance in the same way as with any candidate,” the official said. “This is an issue between NATO and the individual countries aspiring to membership.”