Kremlin updates Russia’s nuclear doctrine amid tensions

The Kremlin said Sunday that amendments to Russia’s nuclear doctrine had been prepared and were about to be formalized, meaning the relevant documents setting out the circumstances in which nuclear arms can be used by Moscow will be updated.

President Vladimir Putin warned the West on Wednesday that under proposed changes to the doctrine Russia could use nuclear arms if it was struck with conventional missiles and would consider any assault on it supported by a nuclear power to be a joint attack.

The changes were widely seen as an attempt by Putin to draw a “red line” for the United States and its allies by signaling that Moscow would consider responding with nuclear weapons if they allowed Ukraine to strike deep inside Russia with long-range Western missiles.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state TV reporter Pavel Zarubin on Sunday:

“The amendments have been prepared, and will now be formalized.”

Peskov cited the international situation, escalating tensions near Russia’s borders and the growing proximity of NATO infrastructure to them, and what he called the deeper involvement of Western nuclear powers in the Ukraine war on Kyiv’s side, as the backdrop for the changes to the doctrine.