Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced changes to the country’s nuclear doctrine, warning that Russia could respond with nuclear weapons if attacked with conventional arms. Under the new revisions, an attack by a non-nuclear power with the support of a nuclear power would be considered a joint attack on Russia, potentially triggering a nuclear response. This move significantly lowers the threshold for Russia to use atomic weapons and comes as Ukraine’s allies consider providing longer-range weapons to Kyiv.
Putin cited the changing global landscape as a reason for the changes, stating that new threats and risks have emerged. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged Western powers to ignore Russia’s threats, calling them “nuclear blackmail”. The revised doctrine also brings neighbouring Belarus under Russia’s nuclear umbrella.
Russia’s hawks have been pushing for a tougher nuclear doctrine, arguing that the existing version is too vague. The revised doctrine outlines conditions for using nuclear weapons in more detail, including the possibility of a response to a massive air attack. The current version allows for the use of nuclear weapons in case of a nuclear or conventional attack that threatens the state’s existence.
With Russia and the US controlling the majority of the world’s nuclear warheads, the changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine are raising concerns among experts. Samuel Charap, a political scientist at RAND, emphasized that it is unsettling when a major nuclear power relaxes the conditions for nuclear use. Putin’s decision to include Belarus under Russia’s nuclear umbrella has further exacerbated tensions in the region.
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