Russia repeatedly threatens to use its nuclear weapons. Now Putin has announced “clarifications”.
According to Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, nuclear power Russia is adapting its doctrine on the use of nuclear weapons to the tense international situation. Russia’s list of military threats against which nuclear weapons can be used as a deterrent has been expanded, Putin said at a meeting of the National Security Council in the Kremlin in Moscow.
The new doctrine increases the risk, especially for Western nuclear powers such as the USA and France, of becoming the target of a Russian counterattack should they – in the eyes of the Kremlin – support the nuclear-free Ukraine in an aggression against Russia.
Putin said: “The updated version of the document proposes that an aggression against Russia by a non-nuclear-weapon state, but with the participation or support of a nuclear-weapon state, should be considered a joint attack on the Russian Federation.” The Kremlin released a video of Putin’s speech at the beginning of the meeting of the Security Council body on nuclear deterrence.
During his war, Putin repeatedly threatened to use nuclear weapons and also put the arsenal on high alert. Against the backdrop of the West’s arms deliveries to Ukraine, Russia has been discussing a change to its nuclear doctrine for some time. The possibility of a pre-emptive strike has also been discussed repeatedly. So far, the doctrine only allows the use of nuclear weapons if there is a threat to Russia’s sovereignty. Putin stressed that Russia has always handled the issue of nuclear weapons responsibly.
