MOSCOW. July 7 (Interfax) - Russia views nuclear weapons exclusively as a factor of deterrence, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko said.
"Russia views nuclear weapons exclusively as a factor of deterrence," Matviyenko said at a press conference on Thursday.
"We have clearly defined the exceptional cases when it could be used only in response to a nuclear attack (God grant that never happens)," she said.
"We behave as a civilized country in an open manner, we say in public and strictly comply with our obligations, and we are doing our best to prevent anything of the sort from happening," Matviyenko said.