Russia will upgrade its nuclear and space defense forces in response to perceived threats from NATO and the United States, including the U.S. "prompt global strike" program, according to Defense News.
The "prompt global strike" program is a developing program designed to take out any target on earth within an hour’s notice.
"Our response to the prompt global strike strategy is upgrading our strategic nuclear forces and resources—the strategic rocket forces and the naval ones—and also developing air and space defense resources according to the plans we have finalized," Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who oversees defense, was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency.
He spoke after President Vladimir Putin held a government meeting on Russia's defense spending at which he accused Western countries of provoking the Ukraine crisis in order to "revive NATO."
Using Cold War rhetoric, Putin complained of "new threats appearing" including the buildup of NATO forces in eastern Europe, the development of the US missile shield in Europe and Alaska and the development of the 'Prompt Global Strike' program.
