On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin revised his country’s stance on nuclear weapon use, following the recent U.S. decision to permit Ukraine to launch long-range missile attacks on Russian territory.
Putin’s update to the Russian nuclear doctrine, “Basic Principles of State Policy of the Russian Federation on Nuclear Deterrence,” now asserts that any aggression from a non-nuclear state, supported by a nuclear state, will be treated as a direct assault on Russia, thereby justifying the use of nuclear weapons.
Putin doubles down on nuclear threats, revising doctrine to justify nuclear retaliation against any aggression supported by nuclear powers
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized that Russia would reserve the right to deploy nuclear weapons in response to conventional military aggression. He also highlighted that the use of Western-supplied missiles by Ukraine, such as those now being used to strike Russian targets, could fall under this doctrine and prompt a nuclear retaliation.
In September, Putin had already warned that Russia would resort to nuclear weapons if long-range missiles struck its borders. This warning came as the U.S. debated whether to approve the transfer of Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) to Ukraine, allowing for deeper strikes on Russian soil.
The U.S. approved the use of ATACMS missiles on Sunday, enabling Ukraine to target deeper inside Russia. In response, Russian officials reported that a Ukrainian missile strike had hit a facility in the Bryansk region of Russia.
The U.S. decision to approve ATACMS was likely influenced by Russia’s recent actions, including deploying around 10,000 North Korean troops to the Kursk region, which had partially been taken by Ukraine in an unexpected assault in August.
Although U.S. officials have not confirmed the use of ATACMS inside Russian territory, they have acknowledged the importance of Russia’s troop escalation. While Putin has frequently threatened nuclear retaliation during the course of the war, it remains unclear whether he is serious about following through. Despite numerous provocations, such as the Kursk invasion, no nuclear response has materialized.
Russia’s position in the war has improved in recent months, with territorial gains along the front lines, particularly in the Donetsk region, where Ukrainian forces have faced considerable difficulty in repelling Russian advances.
In the midst of this escalation, President-elect Trump has promised to end the conflict by the time he takes office, although some worry this could lead to concessions of Ukrainian territory to Putin.
