The Kremlin has revealed new changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine, aiming to deter support for Ukraine from its Western allies.
Spokesman Dmitry Peskov referred to these updates, disclosed by President Vladimir Putin, as a “warning signal” to countries contemplating offensive actions against Russia.
In a bold statement, Putin emphasized that any conventional offensive against Russia, backed by a nuclear power, would be seen as collective aggression.
This updated nuclear doctrine seeks to prevent Western nations from allowing Ukraine to use longer-range weapons against Russian targets, effectively raising the stakes for potential nuclear engagement.
During a recent Security Council session, Putin did not clarify whether a nuclear response would follow such attacks. However, he did emphasize that Russia might resort to nuclear force if its sovereignty were endangered, a definition intentionally left vague for flexibility.
As the Ukraine conflict nears its third year, the Kremlin is keen on diminishing Western support for Kyiv. Ukraine has been striking Russian territory with missiles and drones, while President Volodymyr Zelensky is pushing for approval from the U.S. and allies to use longer-range capabilities.
So far, the Biden administration has not greenlit these requests for U.S.-supplied weaponry.
Putin has specified in the revised doctrine that conditions for nuclear use are more clearly defined, particularly concerning large-scale air assaults. This new framework hints at a potential nuclear reaction to aerial offenses, reflecting a strategy of ambiguity aimed at discouraging Western involvement.
Since the war began in 2022, Putin and his officials have frequently evoked nuclear threats to dissuade increased support for Ukraine from the West. Earlier this month, he cautioned that using Western-made longer-range weapons to target Russia could spark a direct conflict with NATO.
On Thursday, Russian sources claimed that Ukraine had launched drones into regions of Russia bordering Ukraine, which Ukraine has yet to confirm. In retaliation, Russia has continued its drone strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure, with reports indicating damage to a gas pipeline in a Kyiv residence due to debris from an intercepted drone.
This article includes additional reporting from The Associated Press