PRESS RELEASE
Putin Approves New National Security Strategy
Jan. 1, 2016 (EIRNS)—Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree approving Russia’s new national security strategy yesterday, replacing one adopted in 2009. So far, only excerpts of the document have been made available on English-language Russian news sites, including Tass and Sputnik. An official translation of the complete text is not yet known to be available, so more of the document’s content is likely to come to light in the coming days.
According to an extensive report in Tass, the document seeks cooperation with the U.S. and NATO, but at the same time recognizes the present behavior of the U.S. and NATO as a security threat to Russia. The long-term national interests are:
"consolidating Russian Federation’s status as one of the leading world powers, whose actions are aimed at ensuring strategic stability and mutually beneficial partnerships in the context of a multi-polar world,"
the document states. When it comes to national priorities, it emphasizes strengthening the country’s defenses; protecting its constitutional system, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; strengthening the national consensus; and raising the quality of life.
The document allows for military force to be used only if non-violent approaches prove ineffective.
"Strategic deterrence and military conflict prevention is accomplished through the preservation of the strategic deterrent potential at a sufficient level, and through ensuring the specified level of combat readiness in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other forces and military formations,"
the Strategy notes.
"Russia’s strengthening is occurring against the background of new threats to national security which have a complex and interdependent nature. Russian Federation’s independent internal and foreign policy is causing counter-actions by the U.S. and its allies, which are seeking to preserve their dominance in global affairs," the document states.
Nevertheless,
"the Russian Federation is in favor of strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation with European countries and the EU, and of harmonizing the integration projects in Europe and in the post-Soviet space, forming an open collective security system based on a clear legal and treaty framework and covering the Euro-Atlantic region,"
the document states.
"The Russian Federation is interested in building a fully-fledged partnership with the United States of America on the basis of common interests, including economic, with an eye on the Russian-U.S. relations’ key influence on the international situation as a whole."
However,
"Expanding the force potential of NATO and endowing it with global functions which are implemented in violation of international law norms; the bloc’s military activation; its continued expansion; the approach of its military infrastructure to Russian borders; all create a threat to national security."
Nonetheless,
"The Russian Federation is ready to develop its relationship with NATO on the basis of equality in order to strengthen the overall security in the Euro-Atlantic region."
The Strategy notes that the determining factor in the relationship with NATO is
"the unacceptability to Russia of the growing military activity by the alliance and the approach of its military infrastructure to Russia’s borders."
Aside from NATO, the other major security threat to Russia is the policy of "color revolutions." The most important threats to Russia’s state and societal security are
"the activity of radical societal groups and organizations which are using nationalist and extremist religious ideology, of foreign and international NGOs and financial and economic organizations, as well as private individuals, aimed at undermining the unity and territorial integrity of the Russian Federation, destabilizing the political and social situation inside the country, including through inspiring ‘color revolutions’ and destroying traditional Russian spiritual and moral values. ... The practice of overthrowing legitimate political regimes, provoking internal instability and conflict, is becoming more widespread."
