Russian President Vladimir Putin approved a significant update to the country’s nuclear doctrine on Tuesday, signaling a shift toward a more aggressive response to potential threats. Under the new policy, Russia could consider using nuclear weapons if attacked with conventional missiles, particularly if the strike is backed by a nuclear power.
This change comes as tensions between Russia and the West continue to rise. The Biden administration has recently allowed Ukraine to use long-range American missiles to strike deep into Russian territory. The updated doctrine outlines how attacks from fighter jets, drones, or conventional missiles could be seen as a threat serious enough to warrant a nuclear response.
The new policy also states that any attack on Russia by a member of a coalition would be treated as an attack by the entire coalition. This is a clear message to Moscow’s concerns about NATO’s growing involvement in the Ukraine conflict.
Putin’s decision to revise Russia’s nuclear strategy just weeks before the U.S. elections reflects the ongoing dangers of the war in Ukraine. Since it began in February 2022, the war has sparked the worst confrontation between Russia and the West since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.
