Russia expands nuclear doctrine to include attacks from non-nuclear states

Russian President Vladimir Putin has shared updates on the country’s nuclear weapons doctrine. Under the new changes, Russia will consider an attack by a non-nuclear country, supported by a nuclear power, as a “joint assault.”

Although Ukraine does not possess nuclear weapons, it receives military support from nuclear-armed countries such as the U.S. and other Western allies.

Putin’s remarks, made on Wednesday evening, come at a time when Ukraine is seeking approval from its allies to use long-range missiles it received from the West to strike targets within Russian territory.

This week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in the U.S., where he is expected to meet with President Joe Biden and present what he previously referred to as his “victory plan.”

Kyiv has stated that the facilities it is considering targeting in Russia are sites used for launching missile attacks on Ukraine.

The first response to Putin’s statements on nuclear weapon conditions came from Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff.

Yermak commented, “Russia has nothing left but nuclear blackmail to intimidate the world.”

Putin had previously raised the threat of nuclear weapons, which Ukraine has viewed as an effort to deter its allies from providing support.

Russia’s ally, China, also called for “restraint” regarding the issue of nuclear weapons. Chinese President Xi Jinping is reported to have warned Putin against the use of nuclear weapons.

However, these warnings did not stop Putin from announcing the updates to the nuclear doctrine following Wednesday’s Security Council meeting.

Under the new nuclear doctrine, conventional missile strikes against Moscow could also be seen as grounds for a nuclear response.

Putin explained that if Russia detects an intense missile barrage, warplane attacks, or drone strikes targeting Russian territory and posing a “critical threat” to the country’s sovereignty, the use of nuclear weapons could become a possibility.

In his announcement, Putin declared that “if a non-nuclear country commits aggression, supported or assisted by a nuclear-armed country, this will be considered a joint assault.”

The Russian leader emphasized, “nuclear weapons are the most important guarantee of the security of our state and our citizens.”

Since the end of World War II, nuclear-armed countries have operated under a deterrence policy, based on the principle that any nuclear attack by one country would result in a retaliatory strike from the other, leading to mutual destruction.

However, some tactical nuclear weapons are designed with smaller warheads and are intended to strike targets without causing widespread radioactive fallout.

In June, Putin warned European countries supporting Ukraine that Russia possesses more tactical nuclear weapons than the total stockpiles of Europe and even the U.S.

He also argued that Europe lacks an early warning system, making it vulnerable.