Russia Warns Nuclear Response Possible as Ukraine Attacks St. Petersburg

Russia is prepared to respond with nuclear means in the most severe scenarios involving threats to its territorial integrity, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.

He urged observers to treat the signals embedded in Russia's doctrinal documents on nuclear use with maximum seriousness. According to him, opponents should not test Russia's readiness to defend itself by all available means.

"The signal in these documents boils down to the fact that an attack on Russia, on its territorial integrity by aggressors, including those who may not possess such [nuclear] weapons, in the worst-case scenarios may lead to us responding with the use of these means,” Ryabkov said, according to Interfax.

Updated Nuclear Deterrence Conditions

Ryabkov recalled that Russia defines "hypothetical, extreme situations” for nuclear weapons use in its military doctrine and in the Foundations of State Policy on Nuclear Deterrence.

The updated version of this document, revised in November 2024, expands the conditions under which Russia may consider nuclear use. These include:

• Russia receives reliable information about the launch of ballistic missiles targeting its territory or that of its allies;
• an adversary uses nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction against Russia, its allies, military formations, or state facilities outside its territory;
• an adversary strikes critical state or military infrastructure in a way that disrupts the functioning of Russia's nuclear forces or their response capability;
• aggression against Russia or Belarus with conventional weapons creates a critical threat to sovereignty or territorial integrity;

Russia receives confirmed information about the launch of aerospace attack systems, including strategic and tactical aircraft, cruise missiles, hypersonic weapons, drones, and other airborne systems, crossing its state border.

Strategic Purpose of Nuclear Policy

Russia states that its nuclear deterrence policy aims to ensure any potential adversary understands that aggression against the country or its allies will result in unavoidable retaliation.

President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly described nuclear weapons as an extreme and exceptional instrument of national security, reserved for only the most serious threats.