Russia to Continue Developing Nuclear Forces in 2017 to Deter Any Aggression
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The development of Russia's strategic nuclear forces in 2017 will be maintained at a level that would guarantee the containment of any aggression against the country, said Valery Gerasimov, Chief of Russian General Staff and Deputy Defense Minister.
“We will continue to develop the Russian Armed Forces in 2017," Gerasimov said during a meeting with foreign military attaches in Moscow.
Just like in 2016, “we will pay particular attention to keeping our strategic nuclear forces at a level that would ensure the containment of aggression against Russia and its allies, meeting the parameters under the treaty on strategic offensive arms,” he said, RT reported.
Russia would also continue building up the capacity of its aerospace defense system and push ahead with efforts to promote its national interests in the Arctic, the General Staff chief said.
Such set of measures will enable the Russian Armed Forces to “adequately respond to emerging security threats” and ensure the country's “peaceful development," he said.
"We will continue the activities aimed at increasing the level of confidence and reducing tensions. We are open to dialogue insofar as our partners are," he said.
According to Gerasimov, Moscow views “expanded presence of NATO's forces near the Russian border” as a challenge to the country’s security.
The other reasons for concern are “the development of North Korea's nuclear program," increased terrorist activity in Afghanistan and growing instability in the Middle East and North Africa over the conflicts in Syria, Libya, Iraq and Yemen, he said.
Daesh attempts to create a “global caliphate” and the situation in eastern Ukraine are also among the worrying factors, the General Staff chief said.
As for international security challenges, Gerasimov has urged special attention to the fight against terrorism, which he named as a “key threat.”
"It’s necessary for all the international community to combine its efforts under the leading role of the UN to combat it," he said.
The General Staff cited as an example the joint efforts of the Syrian government forces and the Russian Aerospace Forces, which lead to a turning point in the fight against Daesh, Jabhat al-Nusra and other militant groups.
