PREVIOUSLY RUSSIA IN CRISIS Russia has published a new national security policy aimed at reversing the decline in the country's world influence by adopting a tougher military posture and placing a greater reliance on its nuclear arsenal.

The document, endorsed by Acting President, Vladimir Putin, says Russia must build up its armed forces to confront threats to its security from NATO enlargement in eastern Europe and the loss of Russian influence around the world.

The new policy widens the circumstances in which Moscow may consider using nuclear weapons.

Previously, Russia had said it would only resort to a nuclear attack if its very existence was threatened; now it envisages a nuclear response if all other means of repulsing armed aggression fail. The document also addresses Russia's social and economic problems and says the creeping criminalisation of society that has to be tackled politically as well as legally.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service