MOSCOW: The Kremlin on Friday branded the expansion of Nato as a fundamental threat to Russia in a revised military doctrine that dramatically reflects deteriorating relations with the West.

The new document, approved by Russian President Vladimir Putin, decries the “reinforcement of Nato’s offensive capacities directly on Russia’s borders, and measures taken to deploy a global anti-missile defence system” in Central Europe.

Nato was already seen a major threat in an earlier version of the doctrine published in 2010, but the war in Ukraine has further raised tensions to levels not seen since the Cold War.

The alarmed tone of the new version comes in the wake of repeated protests by Moscow over Nato’s decision to position troops in alliance member states like Poland or the Baltic states that border Russia.

The Kremlin has also opposed Nato’s American-driven plan to base its anti-missile defence shield in Central Europe, which Moscow views as directed foremost against Russia.

The doctrine’s harsher tone also follows Wednesday’s decision by Ukraine to abandon its non-aligned status — a symbolic move that provoked Moscow’s anger by potentially clearing the way for Kiev to request Nato membership.

Ukraine faces a huge task to bring its military up to Nato norms, and key members of the alliance, including France and Germany, remain sceptical about it joining the alliance.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2014