MOSCOW (Sputnik) — "The new strategy underlines that to protect its interests, Russia is carrying out foreign policy that rules out costly confrontation, including a new arms race," Patrushev said in an interview with the Rossiiskaya Gazeta newspaper published on Tuesday.
"The use of military force is viewed as the last resort after all political, economic, diplomatic and other means have been exhausted," Patrushev emphasized.
"The revised [national security] strategy clarifies strategic goals aimed at defending the Russian Federation from attempts to use military force against the country," Patrushev said. "More attention is paid to issues of mobilization readiness and civil defense," he added.