Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a stark warning to the West on Wednesday, stating that Russia could resort to using nuclear weapons if attacked by conventional missiles, and that any assault on Russia involving support from a nuclear-armed nation would be viewed as a joint attack. This marks a significant shift in Russia’s nuclear doctrine, signaling heightened tensions amid ongoing discussions in the U.S. and U.K. about allowing Ukraine to use Western missiles to strike Russia.
Speaking at a meeting of Russia’s Security Council, Putin explained that the revisions were in response to emerging global threats. “Aggression against Russia by any non-nuclear state, but with the participation or support of a nuclear state, will be treated as a joint attack,” he said. Furthermore, he reiterated that Russia could consider using nuclear weapons if it detects a large-scale missile, aircraft, or drone attack against its territory.
The updated doctrine also extends the nuclear umbrella to Russia’s close ally, Belarus. According to Putin, Russia reserves the right to use nuclear weapons if either it or Belarus comes under attack, even by conventional means. He emphasized that these clarifications are a direct response to modern military risks facing the country.
Russia’s current nuclear doctrine, established in 2020, states that it could use nuclear weapons in the event of a nuclear strike by an adversary or a conventional attack that threatens the existence of the Russian state. However, these new adjustments broaden the conditions under which Moscow might deploy nuclear weapons, particularly in the face of foreign-supported conventional strikes.
Putin’s remarks come amid heightened global concern, particularly in the U.S., over Russia’s potential use of tactical nuclear weapons in the Ukraine conflict. CIA Director Bill Burns confirmed that Washington had warned Moscow about the severe consequences of such actions.
The war in Ukraine, now at a critical juncture with Russian forces making gains in the east, has raised fears of an escalating confrontation between Russia and the West, reminiscent of the Cold War’s 1962 Cuban missile crisis. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been urging allies to allow deeper strikes into Russian territory, further intensifying the risks of a broader conflict.
