Putin approves changes to Russia's nuclear doctrine

Vladimir Putin has authorized updates to Russia’s nuclear policy, outlining fresh criteria that would lead the nation to contemplate the use of its nuclear weapons.

The current policy states that if a non-nuclear country launches an attack with the support of a nuclear nation, it will be regarded as a collective attack on Russia.

The update was suggested in September and officially approved on Tuesday, marking the 1,000th day of the conflict with Ukraine.

This also comes after Washington's announcement on Monday that it would permit Ukraine to launch long-range American missiles into Russian territory.

With the updated policy, a significant assault on Russia involving traditional missiles, drones, or aircraft might trigger a nuclear response. This also applies to attacks on Belarus or any major threat to Russia's sovereignty.

Moscow would interpret any hostile actions taken by a coalition member against Russia as an attack from the entire alliance.

The new updates increase the range of countries and alliances, as well as the types of military threats that could trigger a potential nuclear response, as reported by the state-owned news agency Tass.

Putin has previously made threats regarding the use of nuclear weapons, and Ukraine has condemned these remarks as mere "nuclear posturing" aimed at discouraging its allies from increasing their assistance.

However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated, "We are firmly committed to taking every possible action to prevent a nuclear war from occurring."

During a press conference at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Mr. Lavrov stated that a statement agreed upon by the group, which includes Russia, "clearly expressed our desire to work towards a world without nuclear weapons."

In their announcement, the Kremlin encouraged other nations to take note of these modifications.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized the significance of the document, stating that it warrants thorough examination, as reported by Tass.

On Monday, Russia issued a warning regarding a "suitable and significant" reaction to President Joe Biden's decision to permit Ukraine to utilize ATACMS missiles for attacks on its territory.

A statement from the foreign ministry indicated that an attack occurring on Russian soil "would mark the direct participation of the United States and its allies in military actions against Russia."

On Tuesday, Mr. Peskov remarked that the new doctrine was released at just the right moment. He noted that Putin had asked for an update earlier this year to ensure it reflected the present circumstances, according to reports from AP.