The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Serhii Lavrov, stated that Russia's use of nuclear response forces is possible only as a retaliatory measure designed to prevent the destruction of the state. He made a corresponding statement on October 11 on the air of one of the RosTV channels.

 Lavrov said that this is Russia's military doctrine.

 "If it depends on us, the president (Putin) has repeatedly stated that we envisage in our nuclear doctrine exclusively retaliatory measures designed to prevent the destruction of the Russian Federation as a result of direct nuclear strikes or other types of weapons that threaten the very existence of the Russian of the state," Lavrov said.