Russian President Vladimir Putin approved the country's updated nuclear doctrine, which caused widespread international reaction. The move comes amid recent reports of US President Joe Biden's decision to grant Ukraine access to new types of long-range missiles, which will allow Ukraine to conduct more accurate attacks deep into Russian positions in the occupied territories. Speaking at the Security Council meeting, Putin emphasized that the updated doctrine reflects the changed state of security in the face of modern threats.
The main theses of the doctrine, which was legalized by the decree of the President of the Russian Federation:
– aggression against Russia and its allies by a non-nuclear country with the support of a nuclear state will be considered as a joint attack;
- Russia can use nuclear weapons in the event of a critical threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of itself and Belarus;
- among the conditions for the use of nuclear weapons is the launch of ballistic missiles against the Russian Federation (ATACMS are precisely such missiles - Ed.)
- a nuclear response by the Russian Federation is possible in the event of a "critical threat to its sovereignty" even with conventional weapons, in the event of a mass launch of military aircraft, cruise missiles, drones, and other aircraft and their crossing of the Russian border.
- provision of territory and resources for aggression against the Russian Federation is also a basis for nuclear deterrence.
The key change in the nuclear doctrine of the Russian Federation is in this point: "aggression against Russia or its allies by a non-nuclear state with the support of a nuclear state is considered a joint attack."
This clause is obviously written specifically for the war in Ukraine and is intended to justify the possibility of Russia using nuclear weapons both against Ukraine and against the countries that are helping Kyiv in the war. That is, against the USA and its NATO allies.
Previously, representatives of the Russian authorities at various levels sent signals that Moscow could use nuclear weapons in the event of strikes by Western long-range missiles on its territory. In particular, Volodin, the Speaker of the State Duma, made this clear yesterday. Putin previously stated that such strikes would mean the direct participation of Western countries in the war against Russia. And today Peskov announced this.
"Ukraine's use of Western non-nuclear missiles against the Russian Federation under the new doctrine may cause a nuclear response," said Dmytro Peskov.
It is also characteristic that Putin approved the new nuclear doctrine shortly after reports appeared in the Western media that Biden had allowed Ukraine to strike with American long-range missiles on the territory of the Russian Federation. The White House has not yet officially confirmed this.
