The Kremlin on Thursday issued a stark warning to Western nations, announcing that Moscow’s updated nuclear doctrine will allow the use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states under certain conditions.
The move is seen as a direct message to countries supporting Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia.
Nuclear policy changes are a clear signal to the West: Peskov
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced that adjustments have been made to Russia’s nuclear policy document, titled “The Foundations of State Policy in the Sphere of Nuclear Deterrence.” When asked if these changes were intended as a signal to the West, Peskov confirmed, “This should be considered a definite signal.”
He added, “This is a signal that warns these countries about the consequences if they participate in an attack on our country by various means, and not necessarily nuclear ones.”
Peskov highlighted the global context, saying that the world is witnessing an “unprecedented confrontation,” which he attributed to the “direct involvement of Western countries, including nuclear powers,” in the Ukraine war.
Regarding the publication of the revised nuclear documents, Peskov said a decision would be made at a later date.
The revised doctrine expands the list of military threats that could justify the use of nuclear weapons and broadens the scope of deterrence to include more states and military alliances. According to the Kremlin, the updated policy is outlined in two key documents.
Aggression by non-nuclear states with nuclear allies will be treated as ‘joint attack’: Putin
In a meeting with senior officials on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed that the amendments to the nuclear doctrine have already been formulated. He highlighted that these changes clarify the conditions under which Russia would resort to nuclear weapons.
“What I would especially like to draw your attention to, is that in the updated version of the document, aggression against Russia by any non-nuclear state, but with the participation or support of a nuclear state, is proposed to be considered as their joint attack on the Russian Federation,” Putin said.
The timing of the announcement is crucial as Western allies, particularly the US and UK, debate whether to authorise Ukraine to use long-range weaponry against targets within Russian territory.
Putin’s comments appear to be a direct response to these discussions, underscoring Russia’s readiness to treat any attack by a non-nuclear state, if backed by a nuclear-armed nation, as a joint assault on Russia.
The Kremlin has not yet made a decision on whether to release the amended nuclear doctrine to the public. However, the new policy marks a clear escalation in Russia’s stance on nuclear deterrence as the war in Ukraine continues.