Russian President Vladimir Putin said on May 22 that Russia is not planning an arms race, and that its nuclear triad will remain at the scale that is required, according to reports.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on May 22 that Russia is not planning an arms race, and that its nuclear triad will remain at the scale that is required, according to reports.

The nuclear triad refers to land-based missiles, submarines and strategic bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

The statement came days after Putin had spoken about deploying a new, powerful nuclear missile, so it can be read as an effort to present Russia's plans as defensive rather than expansionary.

Arms control analysts generally judge intentions by deployments and treaty behaviour rather than by statements. Those indicators are worth following over time.