Putin introduces fundamental changes to Russia's nuclear doctrine

Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed making a number of changes to conditions for the use of nuclear weapons, the Kremlin said.

Photo: kremlin.ru by Администрация Президента России, CC BY 4.0

In particular, "Fundamentals of State Policy in the Field of Nuclear Deterrence" expands the category of states and military alliances against which acts of nuclear deterrence will be carried out.

"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 at a meeting of the Permanent Conference of the Security Council on Nuclear Deterrence.

The Permanent Conference on Nuclear Deterrence is a working body of the Security Council that makes decisions regarding the country's nuclear policy.

The updated version also states that Moscow may immediately begin using nuclear weapons upon receiving reliable information about a "massive launch of air and space attack weapons" and their crossing the border.

Putin specified that this concerns:

• strategic and tactical aircraft,
• cruise missiles,
• drones,
• hypersonic and other aircraft.

In addition, Russia reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in the event of aggression against Russia or Belarus as a member of the Union State, the Russian president added.

"All these issues have been agreed upon with the Belarusian side, with the President of Belarus. Including if the enemy, using conventional weapons, creates a critical threat to our sovereignty," Putin stressed.

"All the clarifications have been profoundly verified and are proportionate to modern military threats and risks in relation to the Russian Federation," the president concluded.