Russia Updates Nuclear Doctrine As Putin Issues Warning To US

Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved a revision to Russia's nuclear doctrine, lowering the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons in response to a broader range of conventional attacks. This change comes after reports that Ukraine had struck deep within Russian territory using US-made ATACMS missiles. The updated doctrine is seen as a direct response to US President Joe Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to use American weapons to target Russian soil.

For months, Russia had warned the West that such a decision would be viewed as NATO's direct involvement in the conflict. Under the newly revised doctrine, Russia may consider a nuclear strike if a conventional attack threatens its sovereignty or territorial integrity, including that of its ally Belarus. "The big picture is that Russia is lowering the threshold for a nuclear strike in response to a possible conventional attack," said Alexander Graef, a senior researcher at the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg.

Previously, Russia’s nuclear policy allowed for the use of nuclear weapons only in the case of a nuclear attack or a conventional attack threatening the existence of the state. The updated doctrine now also includes scenarios where a non-nuclear power is supported by a nuclear power, as well as cases where an attack on one member of a military bloc is seen as an attack on the entire alliance.

Russian authorities claimed that Ukraine had launched six missiles into the Bryansk region of Russia, with five being intercepted by air defence systems and one being damaged. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov referred to this as a "qualitatively new phase of the Western war against Russia" and suggested that US personnel and intelligence were involved in the ATACMS attack. Lavrov also reiterated that while Russia would take all steps to avoid nuclear war, it was the US that had used nuclear weapons in 1945 against Japan.

As the war in Ukraine approaches its 1,000th day, the situation is becoming increasingly perilous. With Moscow’s forces advancing at their fastest pace since the early stages of the conflict, both Russian and Western officials are speculating that the war is entering its final, most dangerous phase. In response to the changes in Russia’s nuclear posture, investors turned to safe-haven assets, causing a rally in government bonds and the Japanese yen, while the Russian ruble fell past 100 per US dollar for the first time since October 2023.

Russian diplomats have compared the current crisis to the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, warning that the West is making a mistake if it believes Russia will back down over Ukraine. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, "Now the danger of a direct armed clash between nuclear powers cannot be underestimated, what is happening has no analogues in the past, we are moving through unexplored military and political territory."

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that the release of the updated nuclear doctrine was "timely" and insisted that its purpose was to ensure that any potential adversary understands the "inevitability of retaliation in the event of aggression against the Russian Federation and/or its allies."

Also Read: Big Setback For North Korean Troops Deployed By Russia In Ukraine