Russian President Vladimir Putin approved the country’s new nuclear doctrine on November 19.
Putin’s approval came after Ukraine attacked a target inside Russian territory with long-range missiles supplied by the United States.
The document, prepared and made public in September, became official with Putin’s signature.
Putin approved Russia’s new nuclear doctrine: Conditions for the use of nuclear weapons are expanding
Under the new doct
rine, any attack by a non-nuclear state, if supported by a nuclear power, would be considered a joint attack against Russia.
The doctrine states that Russia could use nuclear weapons even in the event of a critical threat to its sovereignty.
This includes attacks with conventional weapons, targeting of Belarus, and mass attacks by military aircraft, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles within Russia’s borders.
The update was made public in September
Putin shared with the public the update they made to Moscow’s doctrine for the use of nuclear weapons after a Security Council meeting in September.
Accordingly, Russia will consider an attack on Russia by a non-nuclear country with the support of a nuclear country as a “joint attack.”
Ukraine, although a non-nuclear country, is militarily supported by the United States and other nuclear-powered countries.
Putin’s statements on Wednesday evening came as Ukraine is trying to get approval from its allies to use long-range missiles it has purchased from the West to hit targets on Russian territory.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is in the United States this week, will meet with U.S. President Joe Biden and present what he previously called a “victory plan.”
Kiev says the facilities it intends to target on Russian territory are targets from which missile attacks have been launched against Ukraine.
The first reaction from Ukraine to Putin’s statements on the conditions for nuclear weapons came from Zelensky’s private secretary Andriy Yermak.
Yermak said that Russia “can do nothing but engage in nuclear blackmail to intimidate the world.”
Putin had previously raised the threat of nuclear weapons. Ukraine, on the other hand, saw this as an attempt to prevent support from its allies.
China, one of Russia’s allies, also called for “moderation” on the issue of nuclear weapons. It was alleged that Chinese President Xi Jinping had warned Putin against using nuclear weapons.
However, these warnings did not prevent Putin from announcing an update on nuclear weapons after the Security Council meeting on Wednesday evening.
According to the new nuclear doctrine, conventional missile attacks against Moscow could also be considered a condition for resorting to nuclear weapons.
Putin announced that even if intense missile fire, warplane and drone attacks targeting Russian territory and interpreted as a “critical threat” to the country’s sovereignty were detected, this could lead to the possibility of using nuclear weapons.
Explaining the doctrine, Putin said, “An aggression by a non-nuclear country, if supported or participated by a country with nuclear power, will be considered a joint attack.”
The Russian leader said, “Nuclear weapons are the most important guarantee of the security of our state and citizens.”
Since the end of World War II, countries with nuclear weapons have been acting with a policy of deterrence. This policy is based on the principle that a nuclear attack by a country with nuclear weapons against another will be responded to in kind, resulting in the complete destruction of both sides.
However, some tactical nuclear weapons have smaller warheads and are designed to hit targets without causing widespread radioactive fallout.
In June, Putin warned European countries supporting Ukraine that Russia had more tactical nuclear weapons than the rest of Europe and even the United States combined.
Putin also argued that Europe had not developed an early warning system and was therefore vulnerable.
In his June speeches, Putin also hinted at the update to the nuclear weapons doctrine announced on Wednesday evening.