Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has announced a significant revision to Moscow’s nuclear doctrine, stating that a conventional attack by any non-nuclear nation with the support of a nuclear power will be viewed as a joint attack on Russia. The revised doctrine, discussed at a meeting of Russia’s Security Council, appears to lower the threshold for the potential use of Russia’s nuclear arsenal.
The move is believed to be aimed at deterring the West from providing stronger support to Ukraine, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy seeks approval to use long-range missiles to strike deep into Russia. Putin warned that such actions would result in “Russia and NATO at war”, indicating the possibility of a nuclear response to a conventional attack posing a “critical threat to our sovereignty”.
The revised doctrine broadens the triggers for potential nuclear weapons use, compared to the current version which focused on the use of ballistic missiles. This ambiguity is intended to make the West more reluctant to allow longer-range strikes against Russia.
Russia’s hawks have long been advocating for a tougher doctrine, criticizing the current one as vague and weak. The new formulation aims to clarify the conditions under which Russia would consider nuclear weapons use, addressing concerns that Moscow would not resort to such weapons.
As the conflict in Ukraine continues, with Russia making slow gains, the revised nuclear doctrine indicates a shift towards a more proactive stance on the use of nuclear weapons in response to threats against Russian sovereignty.
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