Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a proposal for a significant expansion of Russia’s nuclear doctrine, following a meeting with his Security Council. The proposed changes would establish new conditions under which Russia could transition to using nuclear weapons, including scenarios involving conventional missile strikes against Moscow.
Putin stated that the revised doctrine would consider any aggression against Russia by a non-nuclear state, supported by a nuclear-armed state, as a joint attack on the Russian Federation. He emphasized that Russia’s nuclear arsenal is the “most important guarantee of security” for the country and its citizens.
This announcement comes as Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky visits the United States, where he is expected to discuss Ukraine’s request for more military support during a meeting with US President Joe Biden. Ukraine has been pushing to target bases inside Russia that are launching missiles into Ukrainian territory.
In response to Putin’s remarks, Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, dismissed the proposal as “nuclear blackmail” aimed at intimidating the international community. He stated that Russia no longer has any leverage other than threats to use nuclear weapons.
Putin has previously threatened the use of nuclear weapons, which Ukraine has criticized as “nuclear sabre-rattling” meant to deter its allies from providing further support. Russian ally China has also urged calm, with reports suggesting that President Xi Jinping has warned Putin against the use of nuclear arms.
Putin’s proposed changes would mean that any attack perceived as a “critical threat” to Russia’s sovereignty could trigger a nuclear response. This includes scenarios such as a massive launch of missiles, aircraft, or drones targeting Russian territory.
Since the end of World War Two, nuclear-armed states have adhered to a policy of deterrence, which holds that major nuclear strikes would lead to mutually assured destruction. However, tactical nuclear weapons, smaller warheads designed to destroy specific targets without widespread fallout, remain a contentious issue.
In June, Putin had warned European countries supporting Ukraine that Russia possessed many more tactical nuclear weapons than all of Europe combined. He hinted that these changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine were under consideration even then.