In Vladimir Putin’s two-year speech before the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, in addition to faint-hearted maxims about “neo-Nazis”, gays, the insidious West and other outright delusions, phrases that can only be perceived as nuclear blackmail were once again uttered. And it is not surprising: when there is nothing to say, in Russia they are used to using terrorists as arguments.

The old Russian dictator’s boring speech before the Federal Assembly drew attention to only one thing: in the end, Vladimir Putin pulled out an already worn “nuclear” card from his sleeve.

Like, NATO is demanding from the Russian Federation the admission of Western experts to Russian nuclear facilities (a quite adequate request within the framework of the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Weapons (SNT), because when Russia does not give permission to inspect its nuclear facilities, it violates the nuclear arms control agreement, – ). However, according to the Russian bunker grandfather, this is a “theatre of the absurd”: “They want to inspect our defense facilities. It sounds like delusion… We are not allowed to conduct full-fledged inspections. Our applications remain unanswered or are rejected on formal grounds grounds”. We can’t properly check anything on that side.”

Moreover, according to Putin, the USA is allegedly developing a new nuclear weapon. Because of this, according to him, Russia is suspending its fate in the Treaty (SNT) and is ready to test nuclear weapons if the Americans do the same. Theoretically, this could mean that the Kremlin can increase its nuclear arsenal indefinitely.

One of the first to react to the news was the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, better known as the acting Russian President, Dmytro Medvedev. He wrote on Twitter: “The US got what it deserved for its stupid anti-Russian policy, that is, the termination of DSNO-3. You can’t go to war with Russia, pretending that everything is fine with matters of strategic stability. That’s how you should!”.

And here it is worth reminding that it was Dmytro Medvedev who signed the Agreement on SNT between the USA and the Russian Federation in 2010. The document, in particular, established the limits of the strategic nuclear arsenals – each of the parties was to reduce its stocks of nuclear warheads to 1,550 units and to 700 units for deployed carriers (intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles and heavy bombers). It entered into force in February 2011 and was supposed to operate for 10 years. Already in 2021, Vladimir Putin extended the Agreement on SNT for five years – until 2026.

However, within a few hours, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation issued a statement to explain the words of the helmsman of his country – the world’s most famous blackmailer today. It already contained phrases that the termination of Russia’s participation in the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Weapons may be reversible due to certain efforts by the US. And that Russia, within the scope of the Agreement, will continue to strictly adhere to the quantitative limits on SNT provided for by the Agreement. And about the fact that the Russian side will continue to participate in the exchange of reports with the American side about the launch of ballistic missiles… However, these excuses did not have the desired effect.

Nuclear terrorist

In principle, already after the seizure by the Russian occupiers of the largest nuclear power plant in Europe – ZAES, it became clear that we are dealing with a nuclear terrorist. According to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, Russia no longer even hides the fact that it communicates and acts as a terrorist.

“And as for whether they are preparing for the tests [ядерної зброї], well, you and I are adults… First, the president of the Russian Federation makes decisions about some intimidation, then connects them with some messages from the USA and so on… This happens all the time. Seriously, no one pays attention to them anymore,” he said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine added that the Russian Federation’s decision to terminate participation in the SNT Treaty is another provocative step by the aggressor.

“Russia makes another bold challenge to the world community, confirms its criminal nature and further aggressive intentions to destroy international peace and security… on the part of a terrorist state,” said the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Oleg Nikolenko.

The reaction, in principle, was not delayed.

Speaking in Warsaw, US President Joe Biden emphasized that Western countries had no intention of attacking Russia. And although he did not directly mention Vladimir Putin’s new statements, he noted that every member of NATO and the Russian Federation knows that an attack on one country of the Alliance will mean an attack on all countries and territories of the Alliance.

Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, also noted that no one is attacking Russia: “There is a certain absurdity in the idea that Russia is under some kind of military threat from Ukraine or anyone else.”

U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken expressed his deep sadness over Putin’s announced intention to terminate Russia’s participation in the SNT, calling it “irresponsible behavior” and emphasizing that the White House is ready to restore the partnership at any time, “regardless of what else happens.” in the world”.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he regretted Russia’s decision to end its participation in the Strategic Offensive Arms Treaty (SNT) and called on Moscow to reconsider this move: “More nuclear weapons and less arms control make the world more dangerous, which is why we at NATO work so hard worked to engage Russia in arms control issues, and that is why the alliance allies supported the new treaty on SNT I urge Russia to reconsider its decision. over the weapons we have.”

Empty threats

In fact, it is far from the first time that threats of a new nuclear arms race have come from the Kremlin. Ever since 2014, when Russia began aggression against Ukraine, Moscow has promised Washington to withdraw from the SNT agreement in response to anti-Russian sanctions. However, when President Donald Trump announced that the Agreement would not be extended in 2021 in order to start building up the nuclear arsenal, the Russian Federation shouted about the need for consultations and extending the agreement for another 5 years. Finally, it happened…

At the same time, as Mykola Beleskov, the chief consultant of the National Institute of Strategic Studies, senior analyst of the “Return Alive” fund, noted back in 2021, Russia did not bargain with the United States for this: “First, because there is an old practice in the United States. -secondly, the agreement is more beneficial for the Russian Federation (that is why Moscow was so actively in favor of prolonging it)… This is a question of status, regime of control, and most importantly – limitation of a powerful strategic nuclear arsenal. The USA…”.

However, as of today, the SNT Agreement is actually on hold. And not only because Russia does not comply with the agreement regarding the admission of inspections of nuclear facilities, but also because the USA is not going to conduct any nuclear tests. So, it seems that the threat of a new nuclear arms race is just Vladimir Putin’s latest argument to attract the attention of world leaders.

“You can look for dangers here, but in fact it is rather an attempt to ask the US first before talking about the global agenda. Russia actually declares that it is ready to start the arms race again. The alternative is to renegotiate. Of course, on the whole complex of issues, including Ukraine (without the participation of of Ukraine)… This may indicate that the Russian Federation does not believe in the possibility of a quick victory, they realize that they are losing the status of a global superpower, – believes political analyst of the Ukrainian Institute of the Future Ihar Tyshkevich.

It should also be taken into account that Moscow is not perceived as a global player not only in Washington, but also in Beijing. And such “twitching” by the Kremlin on the eve of the publication of the Chinese peace proposal does China a disservice. After all, China says that nuclear rhetoric is inadmissible.

“Blackmail with a nuclear threat appeared on the same day as the publication of the Chinese “Concept of the Global Security Initiative”, which clearly describes the inadmissibility of nuclear war,” – recalls Ihor Popov, an expert of the Ukrainian Future Institute, president of the Politika analytical center.

However, it cannot be denied that China was informed about the termination of Russia’s participation in the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Weapons. And it will be possible to observe Beijing’s reaction to this in the coming days.

Tatiana Urbanska