Russia to use nuclear weapons if attacked by Western missiles: Medvedev

Russia could resort to the use of nuclear weapons if its launchers are attacked by Western missiles, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said.

Medvedev made the remarks on Thursday, 11 January in a Telegram post in response to recent proposals by the Ukrainian side to use US-supplied long-range missiles to destroy Russian launchers on Russian territory, Xinhua news agency reported.

He added that this wouldn't be a right to self-defence, but a direct and obvious basis for Russia to use nuclear weapons against such a state.

He said this move would be in accordance with Russia's nuclear doctrine, which stipulates the right to nuclear weapons in response to "aggression against the Russian Federation with conventional weapons when the very existence of the state is threatened".