On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an updated nuclear doctrine, marking a significant shift in Russia’s defense policy. The revised document declares that a conventional attack on Russia by any nation supported by a nuclear power will be treated as a joint assault on the country.
The move comes on the 1,000th day since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and shortly after U.S. President Joe Biden authorized Ukraine to strike Russian territory using U.S.-supplied long-range missiles.
The doctrine underscores Putin’s willingness to leverage Russia’s nuclear arsenal to counter escalating Western support for Ukraine and to reinforce Moscow’s strategic position.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized that the updated doctrine was issued “in a timely manner,” aligning with Putin’s earlier directive to adapt it to the current geopolitical situation.
Putin had initially signaled the planned changes in September during a high-level meeting on nuclear strategy.
The new doctrine significantly broadens the circumstances under which Russia might use nuclear weapons. It explicitly states that an attack by a non-nuclear state, supported or facilitated by a nuclear-armed nation, would be considered a collective assault on Russia.
Additionally, it introduces provisions for a nuclear response to