Russia Releases New Security Strategy: Ditching The Dollar And Prioritizing China And India

Ditching Dollars, Prioritizing China & India, De-Westernizing: Inside Russia’s New Security Strategy

Ilya Tsukanov

Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved an updated Russian National Security Strategy, with the corresponding decree published on the state portal of legal information on Saturday.

The Russian National Security Strategy is a basic strategic planning document defining Russia's national interests and strategic priorities, outlining the means to protect citizens and the state from internal and external threats, and setting objectives for the strengthening of national security and ensuring sustainable development over the long term.

The new strategy replaces the previous version of the document, which was approved by Putin in late 2015. Before the president's signature, the updated strategy was reviewed and approved by the Russian Security Council in May.

The text of the new document suggests that Russia has demonstrated in recent years its ability to withstand foreign sanctions pressure, and notes that work to reduce dependence on imports in key sectors of the economy is to continue. Economic security is to be ensured by increasing competitiveness and resilience to both internal and external threats, and through the creation of suitable conditions for economic growth at rates higher than the global average, according to the strategy.

The document deems the reduction in the use of the dollar in Russia's foreign trade as one of the means to securing the country's economic security.

At the same time, it points to concepts discussed by NATO on the possibility of the use of nuclear weapons in wartime, and says that this development cannot but serve to increase the security risks faced by Russia. Dangers also result from the creeping militarization of outer space, and from risks associated with armed conflicts escalating into local and regional wars involving the world's nuclear powers. The document also constitutes efforts by the armies of some countries to train to disable critical information infrastructure in Russia, with foreign intelligence services said to have intensified their intelligence and other operations in the Russian information space generally.

The policy document points to a weakening of generally recognized norms and principles of international law and the exhaustion or elimination of existing international institutions and treaties in the field of arms control, which it says only serves to increase tensions and aggravate the military-political situation, including along Russia's borders. It notes that Russia remains committed to strengthening the stability of the international legal system and to preventing its fragmentation, weakening or selective application.