Russia: President Vladimir Putin Ratifies New Nuclear Doctrine

President Vladimir Putin has signed an updated version of the nuclear doctrine titled “Fundamentals of the State Policy of the Russian Federation in the Field of Nuclear Deterrence.” The document was published in the Russian Official Journal. According to the updated doctrine, nuclear weapons are “an extreme measure to protect the national sovereignty of the Russian Federation.” As the document emphasizes, due to the emergence of new serious threats and military risks, Russia “had to clarify the parameters authorizing the use of nuclear weapons.”

Russia’s nuclear doctrine update provides for the possibility of responding with nuclear weapons in case Ukraine uses Western non-nuclear missiles against Russia. As Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized during the press conference, “yes, (this point) is mentioned in the document.” According to Peskov, “nuclear deterrence serves to make a potential adversary realize the inevitability of a retaliatory strike in case of aggression against Russia or its allies.”

The previous version of the national nuclear doctrine was approved in June 2020, replacing a document adopted a decade earlier. Updating the nuclear doctrine was necessary “to bring the document in line with the current political situation.” In this context, Peskov noted that Russia still views the use of nuclear weapons as a last resort: “Russia has always taken a responsible position and made the necessary efforts to reduce the nuclear threat and prevent the escalation of interstate relations,” the presidential spokesman said.

The updated doctrine expands the list of states and military alliances that are “legitimate targets” of Russian nuclear deterrence. The document establishes that Russia will consider the aggression of a state that is a member of a military coalition as an aggression of that coalition as a whole. At the same time, aggression by any state that does not possess nuclear weapons but is supported by a country equipped with these weapons will be considered “a joint attack by these countries against Russia.”

The document emphasizes that a nuclear response by Russia is possible if the country faces “a critical threat to its sovereignty” posed even by conventional weapons. The updated doctrine extends the “protective umbrella” to Belarus: in case of an attack on Belarus – a state in alliance with the Russian Federation – a Russian nuclear response will be possible not only in case of an attack on Belarus, but also in cases of large-scale use of military aircraft, cruise missiles, drones, and other aircraft crossing Belarus in the direction of the Russian border.

Following the US decision to send long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine, the UK is also ready to supply Kiev with Storm Shadow missiles for deep strikes on Russian territories. Storm Shadow missiles with a range of about 250 kilometers will allow Kiev to hit logistics bases, fuel depots, and other strategic facilities on Russian territory. The missiles have previously been supplied to Ukraine, but with restrictions on their use beyond recognized Ukrainian borders.

Russia responded by accusing the West of inciting escalation. As Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and current vice president of the Russian Security Council, wrote in his Telegram channel, “Ukraine’s use of NATO long-range missiles can now be characterized as an attack” by NATO countries against Russia and gives “the right to retaliate with weapons of mass destruction against Kiev and the main NATO structures wherever they are.”

In fact, the text of the updated doctrine emphasizes that “nuclear deterrence is also exercised against states that provide territory, air, and/or sea space and resources under their control for the preparation and execution of ‘aggression against the Russian Federation.’”

“And this will already be the third world war,” Medvedev emphasized, adding that “old Biden decided to die beautifully, taking with him a significant part of humanity.”