The Russian document on national security has raised concerns in the West about Russia's apparently greater readiness to use nuclear weapons in the event of an attack on the country.

But the document takes the concept of national security much wider, and is a detailed and very frank discussion of Russia's internal problems.

There are two basic ideas underlying Russia's new document on national security.

The positive idea is that Russia is a great country. It deserves to be treated as such by the rest of the world, and its people should have an appropriately high standard of living.

The negative idea is that it is the poor state of Russia's economy which is holding the country back.

Separatist threat

Unless Russia can sort this out, its national security will be threatened by calls for separatism in its various regions, which in turn will lead to serious social problems.

Economic disintegration, social inequalities and the devaluing of spiritual values are highlighted.

Russia is threatened by a creeping criminalisation of society, and the battle against organised crime and corruption is described in the document as having become not just a legal problem, but a political one.

Although it was the mention of the Kremlin's apparently greater preparedness to use nuclear weapons in the event of an attack on Russia which first caught the West's attention, the real value of this document is in the open and honest discussion of the social and economic problems which are currently besetting Russia.

The acting President, Vladimir Putin, clearly means to show that he can be tough not only over Chechnya.

In effect, this document is his election manifesto, outlining the problems that he intends to tackle if he does indeed become president.